Forgotten Fears, Remembered Hearts
by Kennygirlgreen
Summary: It all started when Naru came back and once again rescued Mai from an ordinary life, but is she willing to rid the world of the one spirit she holds most dear? Can Mai really watch her mother die, again? (other cases including, 'Jack the Ripper') -Don't let the length scare you off, the entire story is divided into cases! PLEASE REVIEW!
1. Mommy Dearest, part 1

(I dont own Ghost Hunt or any of it's ideas)

"So is everything going to go back to normal now?" Mai asked setting Naru's tea on his desk, he had arrived back from England only 8 months after leaving to discover Mai sleeping on his office couch due to being kicked out of her apartment, she couldn't afford the rent. Since then Naru has given her job back, it had been two weeks now and Lin's arrival was expected until tomorrow.

"What do you mean?" he asked refusing to look at her, despite being done with the page. He couldn't handle her puppy face.

"Well" she said sitting on top of the desk, forcing him to look at her. Mai had yet again come to work wearing a tank top and skirt. Didn't she known how inappropriate it was for work, did she know how much he liked it? "I mean doing jobs like before you went back to England, getting the Scooby gang back together." She clarified.

Before he left, did she mean before he broke her heart. It was odd she hadn't mentioned it to him yet.

"Yes, I suppose. After pooling my data back in England the office thought it best to send someone back to Japan. The spirits here tend to be more violent for some reason. Since I already had an office and a team I was used to I volunteered."

"Oh" she said absently. "So, it's only temporary?" she asked obviously disappointed.

"It's hard to say, if all the ghosts leave Japan suddenly or people stop coming here then I suppose I would move to a new location somewhere else in Japan maybe."

"Well that's not so bad." She mumbled to herself.

He merely glanced at her for a moment, what did she mean? She hopped off the desk, and without meaning to give Naru a quick peek up her skirt before hustling out the door to answer a call.

He let out a deep breath and took his feet off of his desk, a technique he had mastered in hiding his, well. Glancing down he knew he could overcome it, ignore it, it wasn't even that big. But then again, Mai's skirt, it throbbed again and he groaned. From pleasure or irritation, he wasn't sure.

He got up to lock the door, each step closer to Mai caused his predicament to grow. When he did Mai called from the other side.

"Naru I'm heading out!" without another word she left for the night. Naru waited until he heard her lock the door behind him, and like a waiting child, tore into his own pants releasing a satisfying moan when he gripped his erection tight, thinking of nothing except the contents of Mai's skirt.

-The next day-

A loud banging tore me from my sleep; I stumbled across my office to unlock the door. Before I could react Mai's body collided with mine causing me to stumble. I grabbed her shoulders and held her at arm's length. In the middle of an ice storm and she was wearing nothing but a tank top and shorts, and by the temperature of her skin I could assume she had walked here, or maybe ran. She was breathing rather hard. But that wasn't the worst part.

I was disturbed by her tears, though not surprised. Mai cried an awful lot. The thing that scared me were the hand shaped bruises covering her body, there were only 10 or 12 but 1 would have been enough to set me on edge. I released my grip and let her fall against my chest again, closing the door behind her. We stood in my office for a long time, waiting for Mai to stop crying.

When she did stop I set her on the couch before shuffling through my closet. I wrapped a wool blanket around her shoulders and knelt in front of her with a cup of warm tea, she drank it gratefully. Before anything could be said, Lin entered the office obviously confused by what had happened. Mai was never here this early.

"Mai" I said managing as much of a gentle tone I could.

"Shhhh" She said with closed eyes. "I….I can't just yet." Her hands were shaking, causing bits of tea to slosh onto her hands. Naru nodded and led Lin from the room.

"Call everyone." He said quietly eyeing Mai from outside his office. "This looks serious."

Lin nodded and caught Naru's arm when he turned to leave. "She needs somewhere to stay tonight, until everyone can get here."

Naru nodded and looked at Mai again, who had finally opened her brown eyes. "She looks so tired."

"We don't have any appointments, just let her sleep." Lin suggested before returning to his office.

Naru returned to her side, taking her empty tea cup and gently guided her to lie down. She smiled gratefully. He touched her hair lightly, why was it always Mai?

He sat back at his desk watching her for a moment before returning to his book.

**-Later that day, the entire gang now sitting in Naru's office around Mai who had finally woken up-**

"Tell us what happened." Monk said with his arm around her shoulder.

"I thought it was nothing at first, a few months ago this women started to visit my dreams."

"Like Gene?" Naru asked taking notes.

"Yea, anyway she looked really familiar so I thought it was just a dream. She would visit about once a week, then more often, until it became every time I slept. About a month ago I realized I did know her. It was my mom."

Ayako touched Mai's shoulder. "Oh honey."

"It was weird, she didn't remember the car accident, or that I was her daughter at first. But eventually she came around. More recently she's been getting angry though. I don't see her as much, she blamed me for the car accident. And then…."

Mai took off the blanket an Ayako looked away, even John cursed. Mai's bruises had gotten darker in the night.

"She wants me to kill myself, and be with her again." Mai burst into tears. "And I….And I" she sobbed. "I really wanted to." Her cries turned into dry heaves as she clutched her stomach and crumpled into Ayako's lap. She stroked her hair absently.

A silent look spread through the room, Ayako would stay with Mai. The rest of them shuffled out the door and spoke in the front office.

"This is serious." John said. "A spirit in your dreams, I've never heard of something like that. Naru?"

Naru shook his head. "Lin?"

Lin nodded solemnly. "If I'm right, this kind of spirit focuses on those who have suffered. Mai's an orphan with no family left to take care of her. She's an ideal target, for any ghost really. They prey on the weak."

"That's insane." Monk said angry. "Mai has plenty of family" he said gesturing around.

"Ah" Naru said pointing out. "When I arrived back from England, I found Mai sleeping in my office because she had been kicked out of her apartment. She couldn't afford it. Now if Mai really felt like she had a family wouldn't she have been at someone's house?"

A wave of guilt filled the room.

"AHH! GUYS!" Ayako's scream followed by a broken window pulled them back to reality.

Inside the office Mai had broken a window and was attempting to cut herself. Ayako had managed to wrestle the glass free, by that time Monk had grabbed Mai's arms and held them away from her.

They all flinched when Mai's, now white eyes glared at them through her bangs. In a voice that sounded like three Mai began to laugh.

"Let's have a little fun."


	2. Mommy Dearest, part 2

"Who are you?" Naru demanded crossing his arms.

"I don't really remember, I've been here such an awfully long time." Mai's head rolled back and forth like she was a snake. "I like this body, she's so sad, so….." It grinned through Mai's face. "tasty and...vulnerable." It laughed. "Power too yes…..If she could use it properly of course, that'll never happen though. Not after I'm done with my games."

Monk, hesitating for only a second threw his fist hard into the back of Mai's neck causing her to fall unconscious.

"Tie her down." Lin said grabbing a wooden chair from the wall. "Everyone give me your belts, and whatever rope or tape you can find."

When Mai came too, each arm was restrained to the chair with two belts; each leg had been belted as well. Her waist and thighs were covered in duct tape holding her to the chair. She groaned looking around. "What happened?" she mumbled pulling at the tape. Her head snapped up, a short scream ripped through her mouth until she saw everyone.

"Oh…it's not…" _the mansion,_ for a split second she thought she had seen a tiled room, it still haunted her.

"No it's not." Naru said smiling sadly as if reading her mind; he hadn't wished her to relive that fear.

"Mai, there's something inside you." Lin said carefully. "I'm not sure exactly what it is but I have a couple theories, some which can be eliminated."

"What are we looking at?" Ayako asked

Lin sighed rubbing his chin. "Weeping woman, maybe? Could be a doppelganger, lemurs seems likely."

"Slow down." Monk said waving his arms. "What are those?"

Lin glanced at Mai. "Best we discuss this somewhere it won't overhear us." In the front office he continued. "A weeping woman is a woman who kills after being betrayed by someone she loves, most often a lover, however in this case all of us could qualify. After SPR closed up Mai became homeless." Naru felt their eyes on him, betrayed by a lover, that description could loosely fit him.

"A doppelganger is not likely, but is able to project the image of one to any location or point in time. In that case, the real Mai is god knows where."

"What about the Lemurs?" John asked holding his cross tightly.

"Unfortunately, if that's the case we're in very deep shit. They're from Rome; they wander for decades angry and filled with hostility for not living a full life, or having its life cut short. Most likely it was murdered." He sighed. "The good thing is none of these ghosts leave her, for some reason his has an acute fixation on Mai. So we don't have to worry about it taking on one of us. However….."

"However what?" Naru demanded quietly.

"It will toy with her, in cruel ways by making her relive nightmares, creating new ones until she takes her own life, even using her own mother to hurt her. If it is a Lemur the only way to get rid of it is if Mai expels the thing herself."

"AWWWW!" Yelled the disappointed _thing_ inside of Mai, her voice was deep like drums and sounded like three people were speaking all at once. "Everyone left, how am I supposed to play a game with no players? aaAAAGHHHHHHHHHHHAAA!" Mai's scream brought them crashing into the room. Her head bent over the back of the chair in a way that could not be called natural. Her body convulsing violently almost tipping the chair, then she stopped. She slowly lifted her head, bangs obscuring her face and giggle. "There you are." Mai's sweet voice surprised them. "I don't always have to sound that way." She sounded happy and sad, like the real Mai did sometimes. "I just want." Her voice caught. "Someone to love me" Her sad eyes peered out at the group begging them. "Untie me."

Ayako moved but Monk stopped her. "It's not Mai." He assured.

"We can't just leave that thing in her!" She yelled shoving away his arms. "An exorcism, we should do one."

"We could try." Lin said. "If we could speak to the real Mai, for just a moment it may be enough to expel whatever's inside her."

Naru nodded. "Alright, everyone get prepared. Monk you'll go first."

The next hour Monk, John and Ayako took turns doing their exorcisms. Each one earning them a cruel laugh like she had been tickled, this went on until 8pm, Naru was the last one awake in his office. Everyone else had fallen asleep in the front office.

"Naru." She said in a giddy tone. "Did you know Mai's in love with you? Well, really you not Gene." She tilted her head thoughtfully.

"Don't speak to me." Naru said turning the page in his book.

"She wants you too." Using Mai's voice she laughed and tilted her head back. "ooohhhhhhh she wants you bad." She moaned closing her eyes. "I bet you want her too, this sweet innocent body. It must kill you, me violating her like this."

Rage boiled behind Naru's passive mask but he said nothing.

"But I'm not the first." She giggled cruelly. "After her mother died, oh yes this is juicy. Someone touched our little Mai, tsk tsk tsk tsk no no she didn't like it one bit" the beast purred. "I bet she'd let you do it though."

"Shut up." Naru said slamming his book shut. "You're lying."

She smiled obviously pleased with getting his attention. "Oh no, that teacher she stayed with after she got her mother killed was a bad man. Before you took pity on the poor girl she'd been sleeping in the girl's locker room, sometimes the park."

"How'd her mother die?" Naru asked.

She burst into fake tears, so real Naru's heart wrenched. "I begged mom to take me to the store, I was craving ice cream. A man stopped us on our way home, stabbed my mom and took her wallet. She was murdered, and it's all my fault."

He cupped her cheek and gazed into her possessed eyes. "Forgive me Mai, I don't want to do this."

He pinched a tendon on her neck, a quick gasp and she fell unconscious. Five minutes passed until an image of Mai, crouching and crying appeared in the corner of his office, astral protection.

"Mai." He said gently kneeling by her side; he was hoping this would happen. She did it with Masako maybe she would do it again.

She looked up. "It's right, she died because of me." She cried

"It's not your mom Mai, it's a lemurs. If you realize it's not your mom you can push it out." He said quickly, how much time did he have?

"I know," she said quietly. "I can't though, I can't kill her again. Maybe I can make her understand." Mai said hopefully. "Maybe, I can have my mom back?" she was asking a question she knew the answer to.

"Mai is this why you didn't tell me about this? Your mother died a long time ago, you can't cling like this." Naru sighed. Mai knew it was her mother and was willing to accept the illusion regardless.

"I, can't do it Naru." Her image flickered for a moment. "I'm sorry." Then she was gone. For Mai to be free, she would have to kill her own mother. At least, that's how she saw it.


	3. Mommy Dearest, part 3

Naru joined the others, more confused than ever and woke them with a loud clap. "I spoke to Mai's astral projection, she knows her mother isn't really her mother but is still refusing to do anything about it."

Lin and the others groaned before sitting up. "That's unusual"

"Is there anything else you can tell us about the Lemurs?" Naru demanded suddenly craving for tea. "Would someone make some tea?"

"Well, they're roman ghosts. I've never seen one so far east. They can't lie either." He mentioned

"How do you mean?" Naru asked as Ayako examined Mai's tea station.

"Well, no matter what they cannot lie when asked a question, or make up one. They hurt people by telling them the truth. For example, to Monk it would probably sapy something like. 'This child loves you so much, too bad she'll be dead soon."

Monk's fist clenched but nodded. "It makes sense."

"Is there some way we could use that against that thing?" Naru asked.

Lin shrugged. "Well, if Mai somehow believes that her mother's death was her fault then we need to get the thing talking about it. Maybe we can get a clue how to make Mai realize it's not her fault."

Monk looked up suddenly. "That's it! It'll be hard but I think we can swing it."

"What?" Ayako asked giving up on the tea which only earned her a disappointed glare from Naru.

"A summoning, what if the only person who can get through to Mai, and convince her is her mom?" Monk said with wide arm gestures. "Think about it."

"Lin." Naru asked crossing his arms.

"It could work, I would need something that belonged to her mother though."

Naru nodded. "Okay, Lin, gather all the supplies you'll need. Ayako and John should go and watch Mai, don't let that thing get an idea of what were up to. Monk and I will go to Mai's home and try to find something."

Everyone nodded, obviously not going to argue with their new jobs.

-Time skip to Mai's apartment-

Mai lived in a small one bedroom apartment, living room; kitchen and dining room were all in one open space, a hallway in the back led to her bathroom and bedroom. Monk began searching the bookshelves in the living room.

Naru knew exactly where to look; he kept all of Gene's things in his room. In Mai's however there was no organizing system. Everything in Mai's room was a shade of blue, mostly indigo for some reason. He sat on her bed, sending a familiar wave of perfume to his nose. He sighed for a moment feeling sad before soldiering on through Mai's nightstand, it wasn't long until he found a small wooden box, inside was a set of wedding rings and a few pictures of her parents. Mai really did look like her mom.

"Monk!" he called leaving the room box in hand. "I've got it!"

-Time skip again, back to office-

When they returned everyone was already waiting, Lin had set up a small alter in front of the possessed Mai, when Naru handed him the rings he began to chant.

Mai didn't respond at first, but it wasn't long before her body began to jerk and white foam poured from her mouth.

Watching was torture but he knew if he looked away he would regret it.

A small light appeared in front of her, and then it formed a body, the woman in the photo, Mai's mother. She smiled gently and touched Mai's cheek.

"Darling, what have you gotten yourself into?"

Mai's brown eyes grew wide and teary. "Mom?" she choked out.

"I've been watching you." She said smiling taking her daughters hand. "Your father and I are so _proud_!"

"But you have to let go now, that's not me inside you darling. I would never hurt you."

"But, it's my fault. All of it!" Mai screamed bowing her head.

"None of the pain you suffered was yours to bear." She said gently with a sad smile. "You have a new family now; let their love save you Mai. Let go of me. You're stronger than this, you don't know it yet but one day you will do great things. Your new family will help you do them. Let goooooo." She urged and laughed smiling. "We'll see each other again."

Mai nodded before the beast took over again and laughed cruelly as her mother disappeared. Before it could let out some cruel remark it began to seize. Violently foam began to pour from Mai's mouth again. Small cuts appeared on her face, neck and arms as the Lemurs lashed out.

The lemurs let out one last defiant scream and then we were surrounded by a stream of angry black smoke that then dissipated into nothing. Naru desperately tore at the tape tying Mai to the chair and loosened all the belts, she collapsed against him, and she wasn't breathing. Everyone watched in horror as Naru pumped her chest, almost violently until he had no other choice. He focused his PK energy on her body and forced whatever blocked her airway out. He felt dizzy again, but before he passed out she opened her eyes.


	4. Mommy Dearest, part 4

-three days later-

Naru had been admitted for sleep deprivation but had been released the next morning; thanks to Lin. Mai however had been asleep the entire time, though all of her vitals were normal. It was the middle of the night and Naru had snuck in, convincing the nurse to let him stay with her. After Mai's first night terror the nurse agreed, Naru being the only one who could keep her calm.

When Mai did wake, Naru was sitting in a chair, his head and arms hunched over on the side of her bed cradling her hand gently. She pulled her hand away and stroked his hair as he stirred.

"Mai?" he asked relieved sitting up. "How are you, would you like some tea?"

She smiled. "Naru offering me tea, I must be dreaming." Her voice came out in dry whispers. He helped her sit up and held her tea cup as she drank. She sighed "Much better."

He laid her back down gently. "N…Naru?" she whispered hesitantly. Before she could finish her sentence she fell asleep again.

-The next day-

Seeing as Mai had woken up the doctor had no problem letting her go, all her signs were normal and she had no serious trauma.

"Naru." She asked as he helped her into the SPR van. He had convinced everyone what Mai needed was rest; too much company would only push her past her point. With a few grumbles from Monk and Ayako they all finally agreed.

"Could I stay with you?" she asked sheepishly. "I don't want to….."

"Of course" Naru said cutting her off. "I wouldn't let you go home alone anyway. I already sent Ayako to pack you some things; she dropped them off at my apartment earlier this morning."

"Thank you." She said staring out the window. He hated seeing Mai so quiet, usually he would be thankful but now…

In his apartment Mai stopped looking around. The living room was large, black couches and grey carpet with a large TV station, which was black, naturally. The kitchen however was a sea of white counters and stainless steel. The walls were cream. Mai noticed her bag lying on the couch and picked it up.

"If you want to shower, the bathroom is next to my bedroom down the hall." He said reading her mind.

She nodded and shuffled down the hall. The bathroom was big too, brown tiles and white walls though, by far the brightest room of the house. She stood in the shower for a long time, letting the hospital smell run off of her, but there was something she couldn't clean. That ghost left her feeling dirty. No matter how much she scrubbed she couldn't reach it.

Eventually she gave up and shuffled into a pair of shorts and a large sweater. She left the steamy room to find Naru had made tea for her. She took it gratefully and sat beside him on the couch.

"You should rest." Naru noted eyeing her. "You just got released this morning, take my bed." He sipped his tea.

"Are you sure? Where will you sleep?" Mai asked

"The couch will be fine, I insist."

Mai nodded and left the couch, his room was of course all grey and no fun. He had a queen sized bed covered in black blankets and grey pillows. His walls were lined with black wooden furniture filled with leather bound books. She stumbled onto the bed and snuggled into the sea of pillows before drifting off.

She'd only been asleep an hour when Naru heard fitful screams. He rushed to the room, Mai had been tossing and turning, her face shone with tears. He shook her gently; stirring groggily she looked confused before bursting into tears. She wrapped her arms around Naru's waist and buried her face in his chest, sobbing.

"Shhhhh." He said unsure of what to do except stroke her hair. "Did you dream about your mom?" he asked, she nodded and he wrapped his arms around her.

She tried to hide her surprise, she didn't know Naru could be this kind and caring.

"It was a horrible thing," he continued. "No one should have suffered like that." His mind raced over what the lemurs had said, her teacher and his arms tightened. "No one should suffer like you have." He mumbled to himself.

Mai leaned against him defeated. "Will you stay with me?" she asked quietly.

"Mai…" he protested, it wasn't appropriate as her boss, especially considering how he felt.

"Please Naru." Her eyes pleading.

He nodded giving in and lay on the bed with her. Mai rested her head on his shoulder and an arm on his chest; it wasn't long until the both of them fell asleep.

Sorry this chapter, and the last were so short but my mind began to drift to another case XD so I will be posting soon! WARNING there will be a time skip from where they are now.


	5. Keep Calm, it's Naru's mom, part 1

**NARU'S POV**

It had been about two weeks since Mai's incident with the lemurs. At first she wouldn't talk about it, the most he could get out of her were a few words before she would shut down but eventually she would move on just like the Urado case and things would get back to normal, summer vacation had started so she would have plenty time.

"Mai, tea!" I yelled from my office. Moments passed before she entered my office. "How are you Mai?" It was unusual for me to ask, Mai's blushing cheeks gave away that much. But I had grown concerned especially with Lin's vacation in China and I was due for a trip to England tomorrow.

"Fine." She said, obviously lying.

"You're out of school for the summer correct?" Naru asked taking his tea. She nodded, fiddling with her skirt which admittedly he did enjoy shamelessly.

"You know my trip to England is tomorrow and I won't return for a week correct?" She nodded. "Well you know John is in Australia, Monk is on a tour, Ayako is helping her family at the hospital and Lin is in China right?" she nodded again. "So who's going to be looking after you?" he asked crossing his arms.

"Naru I've been living alone for a while now." She reminded, eyes flashing. "I didn't always have people watching me."

"Yes, but that was before you became a ghost magnet gas station, so who is going to be watching you?"

"My Netflix account!" she yelled crossing her arms too. I sighed and rubbed my eyes. "Mai, I would feel much better if you would just come to England with me. I can keep an eye on you there."

Her face blossomed furiously, obviously having stray thoughts. "N..N..Naru I can't afford.."

I held up my hand. "Your ticket is already paid for, and my parents are expecting a guest. Pack enough for a week. You may leave early." I said waving my hand dismissively.

She hesitated for a moment before leaving hastily. "10:00AM!" I yelled after her.

"Ok!" she yelled closing the door.

**-The next morning, half way through customs-**

"Mai, you're fidgeting." I mumbled in her ear. She flattened her skirt and crossed her arms blushing again. "Are you a nervous flyer?" I asked as we approached our boarding gate.

"I've never flown." She admitted glancing out the window.

"Well, I've done it a million times. The chances of you winning the lottery is more likely than dying on this plane." He said

Inside the plane Mai suddenly gained sea legs and needed my arm to keep her up, the stewardess took our tickets before directing us down the plane.

"You got first class?" Mai demanded, seemingly upset. "I'll never be able to pay you back."

"Please Mai, if I expected you to pay me back I would have packed you on a mule and sent you by foot." I said smirking. "This is no mule."

Mai nodded taking her seat, desperately gripping the arm rests. I patter her knee to comfort her, wrong move she blushed furiously.

"Mai really, if you can't control yourself around my beauty I may have to change seats." I said still smirking.

"That's not funny." Mai whispered and I sighed, she was right. I knew how she felt about me, I had rejected her.

"You're right." Another stewardess came to their isle smiling at me but ignoring Mai.

"Can I get you anything?" she asked in a perky manner trying to pout her lips nonchalantly.

"No thank you." I said not even looking at her for more than a second. In the corner of my eye I saw Mai smile to herself, which made me smile, which of course never showed on my face.

By the time we landed Mai had slept through every meal and had a stomach growling in her sleep. I shook her gently seeing as she had wrapped herself around my left arm. "Mai." I said moving my arm gently. "Wake up, were here." I didn't want to wake her, knowing she hadn't gotten much sleep since the incident but she blinked her big brown eyes and yawned. She blushed, yet again and released her arm. She must be on fire for such a pink face.

She stumbled through most of the airport before stopping. "Nnnnaarrruuuuu." She whined rubbing her stomach.

"Don't worry, the house isn't too far Mai my mother saved you some dinner." Her eyes lit up and she smiled.

"Thank's." she took her bag from my hand and waited for me to hail a cab.

**-time skip to house-**

**-Mai's POV-**

Looking at the gate of the house, I knew it was going to be big. A long white rock driveway with a three story manor house, that's right, because British people have manors. "Why didn't you say your mother was Queen Elizabeth?" I gasped pressing to the window like a child.

He chuckled softly, "My mother, Luella and my father Martin are in no way related to the Queen, though they have met."

"Shut up!" I yelled facing him wide eyed.

He merely chuckled before helping me from the cab. When we entered the home Naru was flooded with hugs and kisses from his parents, after a moment they turned their wrath onto me.

"Hello, I'm Naru's mother Luella and this is my husband Martin." She said in Japanese. "My Japanese is a little rusty, and Martins is still beginner." She said smiling before hugging me tightly. "I'm so pleased Naru found a girl." She whispered in my ear I felt heat in my face and bowed slightly.

"Yes, my English is not good." I said slowly. "But I know basics."

Luella smiled switching back to English. "Well I'm sure Naru hasn't been helping you, but that will change!" she said triumphantly knowing her son.

Naru sighed. "For your birthday I brought you Mai, she's a tea making machine." Naru said giving my shoulders a good squeeze with his arm.

I couldn't help but look surprised. "I did not know it was your birthday." I apologized.

Luella smiled and hugged me again before leading me away from Marin and Naru. "Well that's okay, the party's tomorrow and Japanese food is my favorite, maybe you could help me make some?" she said hopefully, I smiled and nodded.

"I would be happy to help."

"Oh, you're such a beautiful girl too." She said hugging me again before Naru caught up.

"Mai, I'll take you to your room." He had to pry his mother from my arm, but I didn't mind so much.

"I apologize." He said carrying both of our bags up the stairs after I'd proven to be too short without having to drag it. "My mother, well she wanted a daughter too, Gene and I proved to be a handful though."

"I don't mind, she seems very kind." I was relieved to switch back to Japanese. Naru led me to a bedroom, with a large bed and its own bathroom, and next to his. My mind began to wonder over what the night could bring.


	6. Keep Calm, it's Naru's mom, part 2

After Mai unpacked, Naru took her back downstairs to have something to eat. She tore through a serving of spaghetti and smiled while Naru ate his. "I've never had this before."

Naru smirked and shook his head. "What!" she demanded wiping her mouth. "In Japan you only ate English food, I never once saw you eat anything with rice!"

"True." Naru said finishing his own plate. "But I don't like rice."

"But tomorrow your mother wants me to make her Japanese food. Behold the rice!" she threatened as Naru took her plate and stuck them in the dishwasher.

On the way back up to their rooms Mai stopped several times to look at their family photos. She could tell Gene and Naru apart easily. Naru merely hovered behind her waiting for her to move on, occasionally telling a story about the photo until they came to their rooms.

"Night Naru, or Oliver." Mai said grinning.

"Naru is fine." He said closing the door without any further words.

"Jerk." She said

"Idiot." He called from the other side of the door. Mai smiled.

Surprisingly Mai fell asleep almost instantly, but woke rather early. Almost she stumbled around in her hello kitty sleeping shorts and tank top, only to run into Naru outside. He was already dressed in his black on black on black sprinkled with black clothing.

"Naru!" she yawned rubbing her eyes. "It's 6am. How are you already dressed?!" she half yawned half yelled.

He rolled his eyes. "Breakfast is ready."

And for a moment, she thought she saw Naru's eyes wander. _That's crazy, Naru made it very clear months ago that's not how he feels. _She scolded herself and followed him down the twists and turns of the hallway relieved to find Naru was the only one dressed for the day. Everyone else, including Martin's frizzy come over was fresh out of bed.

"Mai!" Luella said smiling pleased. "How did you sleep? I know Naru can snore awfully loud."

Mai smiled and laughed. "No, I think I fell asleep before him. Thank you."

She smiled clearly pleased. "Naru, when Mai is ready take her to the store to get whatever she needs for tonight. I've done most the food myself but I would love another side tray." She said almost giddy.

Naru nodded before drinking more tea, Luella and Martin did the same simultaneously.

"I see where Naru gets his addiction." Mai said opting for a class of orange juice.

"It's an addiction the entire country struggles with." Martin said proudly. "God bless the Queen!"

"Here here." Luella said not glancing up from her paper.

Mai smiled and ate her pancakes, which were made from heavens clouds and excused herself to get ready, Naru's eyes already telling her to hurry up.

**-NARU'S POV-**

By the time Mai had returned she had changed her, _pajama's _for one of her usual outfits which consisted of a black pleaded skirt and dark blue blouse. She looked _amazing, _Though I didn't let myself show it.

Luella stuck her head around the corner suddenly and smiled wickedly. "You two kids have fun now." And retreated back to her breakfast, I sighed inwardly. She really wanted grandchildren.

It took about five minutes for me to get annoyed with the glancing English boys, I could ignore the girls looking at me but I was not fond of anyone _other than me of course _looking at Mai. I groaned and inwardly again, _since when had I become the jealous type? It's not like she's my girlfriend. _

**-MAI's POV-**

I glanced up at Naru nervously. I needed an answer, how did he feel about me? I only wore these short skirts to get his attention, like coaxing out a wild bear with a hunk of meat. I was the meat, my skirt the stick. Though, as always it never seemed to work.

_Narcissist jerk! JUST LOOK AT ME! _My mind screamed before my eyes fell back in front of me, a store! PERFECT something to distract myself with.

"Naru" I said upon entering, he grabbed a cart and led me in.

"I'll read everything to you." Naru said smirking. "Your reading skills are not much better huh?" he asked

I nodded and sighed. "I can speak it okay." I said using English before reverting back to Japanese. "But English has so many rules!"

He nodded. "Well so does Japanese, the proper names for addressing each other get annoying." He pointed out.

"That's why you're Naru." Mai said smiling. "Okay, back to business." For everything on her list Naru had to guide her to its location, which turned into quite the work out, he was getting quite annoyed.

"All done." She confirmed going over the cart. "What did you get your mother for her birthday?" she asked curiously at the checkout.

"You" He said smirking. "She loves Japan."

"You can't give your mother a human being." Mai protested. "It's illegal!"

He sighed and shook his head. "She didn't seem to mind." He smirked again. Mai may love his smirk, it was almost a smile. But she was driving him crazy.

Naru carried most of the bags back to the house; it was only a couple of blocks so they didn't even bother with a car. "Naru." She said quietly, using Japanese in a sea of English folk was as private as it was going to get for a while.

Naru looked down at her; he knew where this was going. She waited until he was jingling his keys for the front door before she spoke.

"It was never Gene." She said finally. Naru's chest felt light, he didn't understand it himself. "It was always, you Naru, it still is." Just then, before Naru could tell her anything. Luella yanked the door from his grasp eager to see what Mai had in store. She grabbed the one bag Mai was holding and her hand before guiding her down the hall to their master kitchen.

"Oliver, be a dear and help your father with the party decorations. And my god change out of all of that black before you give yourself a heat stroke."

"Mom." Naru protested setting the remaining bags on the counter top.

"Now Noll!" Luella demanded. "Put on something white!" she shoved him out the kitchen door.

Mai giggled happily which earned her one of Naru's famous '_oh you wait' _from the other side of the door. She sighed thinking about her words on the doorstep, then shoved them from her mind and began to show Luella how to make her mother's famous 'Chop stick rolls'

You take a chop stick, fill it with a slice of lime, lemon, some shrimp, chicken and peppers (all flashed cooked) then wrap them in a pastry to bake in the oven for a few minutes.

**-With Naru-**

Naru had, with some resentment. Changed into a set of tan cargo shorts with a fitted white shirt, no buttons and began to help his father hang lanterns.

"Oliver." Martin said after a moment, taking a sip of beer. "What's Mai to you?"

Naru would have blushed if the sun hadn't already turned his face red. "What do you mean? She's my assistant. I told you the only reason I brought her here was because of the incident with the Lemurs."

"That may be somewhat true." He said putting his drink aside and grasping his son's shoulders. "I heard what she said to you on the porch Naru, you are much more to her than either of you care to admit. Now I know everything in Japan was supposed to be for Gene, and your mother and I are so proud you brought your brother home. But I think we both know more happened in Japan, I think we both know these things happened because of Mai." He slapped his son on the back. "Now, send out your mother."

Naru slipped back into the house, taking off his shirt to wipe his face and entered the kitchen. "Mom, dad wants to see you." He said gesturing outside. Luella patted her hands and bustled out the kitchen; Mai didn't notice him and was turned to face the oven.

"tea." He said sitting on the other side of the counter.

She jerked up, obviously startled and blushed like crazy. She nodded and turned towards the tea sink to fill the kettle.

Something came over Naru, with what his father had said. He moved to his feet silently and came behind Mai pressing both hands to the counter on either side of her. Startled she turned around to face him.

"N.." she couldn't speak.

Hesitantly Naru leaned in, her eyes were closed, lips parted, expecting. When he did meet her lips it was light, her lips were so soft. Mai sighed against him, their kiss became animal. She wrapped her arms around his sweat slick neck and he lifted her onto the edge of the sink. His tongue pressed entrance into her mouth, which she gave eagerly to meet her tongue to his.

His grip tightened on her waist and her hands explored his feather light hair. Naru bit her lip gently before pulling away and pressing his forehead to hers.

"FINALLY!" Declared a voice behind them, Mai blushed trying to straighten the skirt that had ridden up dangerously on her thigh. Naru turned to block her from view.

"Mom.." Naru began, almost warning.

Please remember to REVIEW! seriously I live for it!


	7. Keep Calm, it's Naru's mom, part 3

Mai slid from the counter behind him, as the oven beeped became distracted with it for an unnecessarily long time.

"I'm so happy!" she cried. "After Gene I thought you would never climb out of your hole. But then! I walk in on you and this pretty little lady almost making me grandchildren on the counter!" she was almost moved to tears. "This is the best birthday present ever." She winked at Mai. "I'll leave you two alone." And with that she was gone.

Mai sighed setting the last tray of 'Chop Stick Roll's' out to cool. She had made almost 400.

"How many people is your mother expecting?" she asked turning to face him, obviously she wasn't sure what had just happened. He snuck an arm around her and plucked a cooled pastry from a pile and took a bite.

"This is pretty good." He mumbled through food before inhaling the rest. "Mom probably invited 100 people maybe more.

"Naru." She said still fiddling with the ends of her skirt.

Naru took her hand in his for her eyes attention. "I wasn't faking it Mai." He kissed her head, her cheek, her neck, her collar bone.

"Naru." She gasped stopping his travels.

He groaned and pulled away. "I wish I didn't need a shower."

"Well you stink." Mai confirmed. "If you hurry there will be hot tea waiting."

For the first time, in a long time, Naru's smile reached his eyes before he turned from the kitchen. Mai smiled to herself, that smile may have been just for her.

By the time Naru had returned Mai had started the second pot of tea, she had drank it all herself. _God I'm turning into Naru. _She thought sighing as he came up behind her eyeing the tea pot. He had dressed himself in all black again, the sun was setting and party guests had already begun to fill the back yard. She made his tea, which earned him a thankful nod.

"Help me carry the trays." She said taking the smaller one for herself. He followed her out the kitchens French doors leading outside. Luella applauded them, smiling mischievously at Naru before ordering Martin to take the tray from Mai.

Naru followed Martin and Luella took Mai's hand leaning in close. "Thank you."

"For what?" Mai asked confused.

"For making him happy, I haven't seen him smile about anything for a long time. Especially after Gene." She said a touch of sadness taking her voice. "Naru mentioned he had visited your dreams once or twice until they found him?" she asked hopefully taking Mai's arm.

She nodded tears brimming in her eyes. "He loved you all so much. He didn't even have to say it, I could feel it. He was especially worried about Naru." Luella let a few tears slide before smiling and laughing, then wiping them away. Martin appeared at her side instantly at his wife's distress, Naru eyeing me behind him carefully. He took her somewhere to sit and Naru, with hands in pockets raised a brow.

"She asked me about Gene." Mai said wiping a few tears away herself.

Naru nodded, passive face as always. "What did you tell her?" he asked as a glimmer of something flashed behind his eyes.

Mai sighed a small laugh and touched his face. "Gene loved you all so much, and he was especially worried about you." She fiddled with the collar of his shirt for a moment, for no reason, it was perfect already. He leaned forward and kissed her head gently. "Thank you for that."

Just as he said that, Luella's massive cake was rolled out by Martin, on it a picture of Luella, Martin, Gene and Naru.

Naru went to his mother's side and kissed her head; she was so happy and blew out a candle. Naru returned with two small pieces of cake, red velvet.

She smiled. The party went on well after sunset, almost 10:00 before everyone was gone and the food wrapped and stored away. Mai had already showered and changed into her shorts and a loose fitting T when she noticed Naru was still standing outside, in his party cloths.

She made him a cup of tea, being careful not to wake Martin or Luella.

"Naru." She said from a few feet behind him. He turned with a masked face and sighed shrugging off his jacket and handing to her, also taking the tea. It was a little nippy so Mai shrugged into the coat it smelled like tea and aftershave, with a hint of brooding. This was defiantly Naru's jacket.

"Why are you out here so late?" Mai asked beside him as he slowly drank his tea.

"Well I'm drinking tea and being chivalrous as I let you borrow my coat." He smirked and took another sip.

Mai sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "You look tired."

"If I sleep….*sip*…"

"What?" she asked touching his arm, she had never seen Naru cry before. But sure enough a tear had streaked free. He dropped his empty cup defeated and looked down at Mai helplessly as his mask crashed down around them.

Her heart stopped and she took his head in her hands, as she did he crumpled to the ground and wrapped his arms around her waist, burying his face against her. She stroked his hair and tried to calm him the best she could. "What is it Naru?" she asked sadly. "Why are you sad?"

"I miss him."

She loosened his arms and knelt in front of him. "Of course you do, so do your parents. I miss my parents too. We all miss somebody Naru, but you have to talk about it to get past it." She cupped his face again and he gripped her wrists. "I felt his pain." He whispered harshly. "How could I ever talk to my parents about that?"

"Then talk to me? Come up to your room and talk to me." Mai insisted, after a few moments he nodded and picked up the tea cup.

She helped him up to his room, discarding the tea cup at the base of the stairs. He sat on his bed, with a numb look of defeat on his face. She raided his closet until she found a t-shirt and sweat pants. He nodded in approval standing. She watched in a fiery blush as he stripped his pants and slipped into the sweats before her, it didn't last long but she saw his boxers.

He chuckled lightly and fumbled with his buttons. After a few failed attempts he groaned and stopped. Mai smiled and released each button easily and slid the shirt down his arms. When she looked up she saw Naru looking at her in the same way he had in the kitchen.

Gently she handed him a shirt, which he took with no argument and sat on the foot of his bed again, hanging his head low. Mai sat beside him and touched his back. "Do you want to talk now or later?" he shook his head. "Do you want me to stay." To her everlasting surprise he nodded and yanked at the covers until they came loose and crawled under his bed. Mai did the same, before she laid back Naru snaked a hand around her waist guiding her closer to him.

After a moment, Mai settled into his arm and Naru's breath evened out. She watched him for a long time, occasionally brushing hair from his eyes before following him in sleep.

The next morning Mai woke up first, somehow Naru and gotten both arms around her waist and was almost lying on top of her with his head tucked against her neck. She smiled and stroked his hair again, causing him to stir, sun streaming into the room.

"Mai?" he grumbled through a morning voice.

"Yes?" she asked

"Tea" Instead of her usual vile language she laughed and began to untangle herself which made his grip tighten. "Later." He smiled against her neck and started to kiss her. He barely got two kisses in before Luella knocked at the door.

"Wake up you two! Or don't, it's all about the grandchildren!" she laughed happily. "Breakfast will be ready soon!"

Naru ignored her and continued to nip at Mai's neck causing a few uncontrollable gasps every few seconds.

"N..Naru." she squeaked as he nipped her ear. Her stomach growled the words she couldn't get out and he chuckled softly. "I'll get you later." He whispered kissing her lips once, holding it for a moment and releasing her.

She laughed lightly and wiggled out from under him padding across the room. She'd gotten halfway to the kitchen when Naru ran up behind her and she groaned.

"You never go anywhere without being dressed." She said seeing his pajamas.

"Maybe I'm hoping you'll invite me into your shower." He whispered against her hair, without giving her a chance to respond he entered the dining room with Mai trailing behind him. Martin looked up and smiled, obviously Luella had informed him of their son's latest exploits.

"Mai, your treat last night was delicious!" Luella said smiling, Martin grumbled a "here here."

Mai giggled and bowed slightly. "Thank you it was my pleasure."

"Did your mother teach you that recipe?"

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Naru shaking his head trying to ward her off, Luella obviously confused. "It's fine Naru, yes Luella she did teach me before she died." Mai yawned so her English sounded groggy.

"Oh dear." Luella said obviously saddened by this new information.

"And your father?" Martin asked putting away his paper.

"Also gone, he died when I was very young. I have my own apartment now." Mai said avoiding the 'where are your grandparents, aunts, uncles or cousins?' question.

Luella merely nodded. "Well that's a shame, your mother would have been proud of you no doubt though!" she said trying to cheer Mai's spirits.

"Thank you."

"So Noll" Martin said changing the subject behind his paper. "Are you going to take your girl out on the town?"

For a split second Mai thought he blushed, but by the time her eyes got there it had gone away. "As soon as were both dressed." He answered smiling.

Naru and his parents chatted in English for the rest of breakfast, slowly Mai lost any of the words she knew and was sitting surrounded by nonsense. So Mai finished her breakfast and excused herself to Naru's obvious disappointment for lack of shower invitation which only got h I'm a smirk from Mai.

Later Naru had once again opted for his black everything, Mai for another brightly colored skirt and top, like always. "How was your shower?" Mai asked grinning.

"Lonely." He sighed kissing her cheek.

They managed to sneak out of the house with no intervention from his mother or father, Mai giggled as they ran across the yard and heard his mother yell something inaudible from the window, it even got a laugh from Naru. It was a short laugh, but it was also a start.

After a few minutes of walking Naru started to glare then, almost possessively he grabbed her hand. "Naru?" she asked surprised. "Why are you upset?"

"Oh, nothing." He said as his metaphorical 'dark clouds' drifted away.

She raised an eyebrow but let it go. "So where are we going?" she tried to ignore the girls drooling from where they stood and focus on Naru.

"Somewhere." He said a smile playing on his lips but never quite revealed itself.

"NNNaaaaarruuuuu…" she whined letting out an exasperated sigh. "You're no fun.." she pouted.

"No fun?" he asked, amusement played across his eyes. "We'll see about that."

Mai's eyes widened in anticipation "Oh will we?" she asked

Naru smirked, not giving her any more information than that. They walked a few more feet before Mai's phone went off. They stopped so she could answer it.

"Hello?" she asked.

"MAI WHERE ARE YOU!"

"Monk? I'm in England." She said confused. "Why?"

"Oh, well I was going to come over and see how you were. Why are you in….are you with Naru?" suspicion creeping into his voice.

"Oh…well you see Monk.." she glanced at Naru who took the phone.

"Bou-san."

Mai heard a very loud, yelling Monk. Naru smiled slyly at me and sighed into the phone. "Mai can make her own choices." And he snapped her phone shut before handing it back to her. She rolled her eyes and stuffed it back into her skirt pocket.

"We're here." Naru said finally revealing his master plan.

"A tea shop?" Mai asked slowly looking around. It was nice, and its smell was intoxicating. "Naru if you wanted tea all you had to do was ask." She said crossing her arms.

"Mai I do believe you asked for fun." He said ushering her in towards a the counter.

"fun yes." She said smiling. "tea, no."

"Just trust me okay?" he asked turning towards the waiter who set down two cups of tea and a large basket of biscuits. "Enjoy."

"We didn't order." She said confused.

"Here, they bring you tea and if you like it they'll give you a name and if not they'll replace it until you find a tea you love. Then you can purchase said tea here."

"You brought me for tea tasting!" she said laughing before picking out a biscuit, still warm.

"Here." Naru said handing her honey. "Try it with this." He sipped his tea hesitantly and scrunched his nose. After a moment the waiter returned with a new cup of tea, Naru nodded.

Mai tried the honey dipped biscuit and smiled. "This is so good."

"Not all good food is sea food and rice related." Naru said smiling.

"You're Japanese Naru, embrace your culture." She said rolling her eyes, but still laughing.

"No." he said finally and smirked at his tea, it was good. Not as good as Mai's but.

They sat there for a long time, tasting tea and biscuits before Mai had successfully picked out three types of tea she wanted, and of course Naru bought them for her. Packing her load in a small bag Naru guided her further down the street, further from busy streets until they were just walking, silently, and she froze. Feelings of nausea overwhelmed Mai and she stumbled, only to be caught by Naru who lowered her to a bench

"Mai?" he sounded desperate, but she had no chance to respond before she slipped into a deep sleep, that's when the vision started.

PLEASE REVIEW! - to be continued-most likely later tonight...I have no life...


	8. Jack is Back, part 1

Before I begin this chapter I just want to say how much it means to have over 300 views on this page, really it means a lot guys and gals. Especially since this was my second fic (on this site), I couldn't be more happy about such a response, that only seems to grow every day! So thank you for reading! And enjoy ficing! (ficing isn't dirty, it's a term for writing fanfics that I came up with 30 seconds ago, hey maybe it will catch on.) Anyway, LET THE GHOST HUNT CONTINUE ***DRUM ROLLLLL***

-Meanwhile in Mai's vision-

_Mai, for the first time didn't experience this dream first person, instead she was an observer. A woman in white, she looked like a geisha without the makeup, and dressed in English cloths. She was running, a man in a black cloak and tall hat followed her from the shadows. _

_"__RUN!" Mai cried trying to get the woman's attention, it didn't work. Before she knew it the man grabbed the woman and shoved her into a dark ally, he had a knife. He began to slash and rip at her abdomen pulling out anything that had once been held in behind the skin. The woman's screams were worse than thought possible. When she had died, finally after what felt like hours of torture he took his knife and began to mutilate her face, pulling at skin until she became unrecognizable. _

_"__You're next." A voice whispered in her ear_

Then Mai woke, screaming as usual. Naru hovered above her and took her face in his hands. "Mai, Mai I'm right here calm down."

She gasped for breath as she tried to calm herself, and then flung herself into his arms which secured tightly around her body. She buried her face in his shirt and began to cry.

Naru just stroked her back and whispered sweet nothings into her ear, a few which made her smile despite her fear and sadness.

"You've been out for _hours _Mai." Naru said lying down next to her.

"I had a dream." She said fiddling with the collar of his shirt. "I watched a woman get murdered, her…..organs were ripped out and her face was mutilated." She left out the message she received at the end and felt him stiffen under her touch. "Naru what is it?"

"What time period would you say this was?" he asked

"I don't know, 1800's maybe 1900." She said searching his eyes.

"What could you tell me about the way this woman was dressed, would you describe her as a prostitute, or a geisha?"

"Yes, how did you?"

"I know who it is." He said interrupting her and kissing her fore head. "In 1888 a serial killer when on a murder spree, killing prostitutes in Whitechapel which is where we just were, they called him 'Jack the Ripper' but his real identity was never discovered for sure. It's the most famous murder case in Europe."

Mai shivered involuntarily. "Alright, what do we do? We can't just ignore the girl's spirit."

Naru's chest rumbled against Mai's head, he must have laughed. "I knew you would say that." Naru said before sitting back up. "Let's get you some tea." He said grabbing the tea shop bag. When Mai didn't move he picked her up bridal style which only made her laugh and squeal.

"Naru what are you doing!" she protested.

"Carrying you." He sounded normal, like he did this kind of thing every day, which he did not. Naru carried Mai all the way down into the kitchen before setting her on the counter and making a pot of tea, it wasn't long before Luella and Martin appeared.

"How are you Mai?" Luella sounded worried and tired.

"I'm much better, thank you." Mai said smiling before taking her tea.

"What happened?" Martin asked taking tea from Naru as well.

"Mai had a dream." Naru said speaking for her, he launched into the tale Mai had told him moments ago, then included his best guess of the culprit being 'Jack the Ripper'.

Martin nodded in agreement. "I believe you're right, and if you're correct than we need to exorcise Jack, not his victims. All of them can be cleansed I'm sure after Jack is gone. Naru, would you mind looking into the subject?" he asked finishing his tea.

"Of course" Naru said finishing his tea. You could see his body slip into work mode.

"Tomorrow" Luella said making a point. "It's far too late to begin anything now."

Naru nodded, but Mai could tell he was going to ignore her. His parents said their good nights, Naru and Mai said theirs before going in opposite directions of the house to their rooms. Naru kissed Mai good night and made sure she was warm before going back to his own room.

-Later that night-

Mai woke up, her clock stated it was 3am and she groaned. She felt fully rested, she left her room for tea, when a note on Naru's door caught her attention.

_-If you need anything I'm in the study down the hall._

_-N_

Mai groaned and snatched the paper from the door, that NARSSASIT IDIOT WAS STILL AWAKE! SHE WAS GOING TO KILL HIM! Mai made her way down the hall to the small golden light peeking from a crack in the door. Sure enough Naru sat at a desk with his back to her and a printer running 20 miles an hour.

She walked up behind him and slid her arms over his chest until her head rested on his shoulders. "Naru, it's nearly 3am you should get some sleep."

"I'm almost done." Naru said barley taking notice to her.

She grabbed his wheelie desk chair and turned it to face her and grabbed the arm rests so he couldn't turn away. "Naru, go to bed right now or I will wake your mother."

Naru slumped, obviously exhausted but nodded letting Mai lead him from his office, the printer still printing away. He didn't bother taking a shower, just slumped into his bed, pulling Mai with him. Naru fell asleep within seconds, Mai just lay awake stroking his hair.

Naru's alarm went off, only to be silenced by Mai. She slipped from Naru's sleeping arms and left his room quietly, only to run into Martin.

"Naru awake?" he asked.

Mai shook his head. "He didn't get to bed until 3, so I was just going to let him sleep in. He was up in the office all night printing information."

Martin nodded. "That Noll alright, I'm going to go read through what he found. Breakfast is ready when you are." And with that he was gone.

The rest of the morning went on with Naru sleeping, Martin reading and Mai and Luella talking over breakfast and tea. It wasn't until when Naru emerged into the dining hall, giving Mai a quick kiss on the cheek as she made him tea before busying himself with the pancakes and bacon kept warm for him in the oven.

Naru ate silently for a minutes before Luella spoke up. "So how was the research?"

"Fine mother." He said eyeing her carefully.

She raised an eyebrow before taking another sip of tea. "and?"

"I'm sorry I worked so late."

"That's my boy." She said smiling. "Now, why don't you and Mai go speak to your father about the exorcism? You two are supposed to be leaving in three days so I hope you two can solve this before then." She reminded.

Mai and Naru nodded heading towards Martin's study, inside Martin was knee deep in Jack the Ripper information.

"How do we kill a ghost that killed all over town?" Martin asked Mai and Naru.

"He could be at any one of his victims crime scene, he killed five women, all prostitutes. We could set up an exorcism at each location and act at the same time, whoever gets him gets him and everyone else does what they have to for the victim."

"This is why he flew us out here."

Mai turned around, a big smile on her face. Ayako, Monk, John, Masako, Madoka and Lin all stood in the doorway bags in hand ready to go. Monk wrapped his arms around Mai hugging her tight.

"Oh my little princess, did big bad Naru hurt you?" he said almost crying.

"Monk, release!" She cried before he dropped her gently.

"So 'Jack the Ripper'?" John asked looking at the papers on Martin's desk.

"Mai had a vision, the description fits perfectly."

"I'll go make some tea." Mai said before hustling out of the room, stopping to change. When she returned with her tray of tea everyone was sitting with handfuls of paper. "So what's the plan?" she asked handing out tea, which only earned a glare from Masako, did she know?

Martin nodded before setting up a map. "Right, Lin, Ms. Hara, John, Ayako and Monk will all set up at different crime scenes and begin their ritual. Luella, Naru, Madoka, Mai and myself will split up between them."

"No." Naru said shaking his head. "Mai is a ghost magnet, chances are he'll head towards whatever site Mai is at." The others (except masako) mumbled along in agreement. "Best idea is Ms. Hara visits each site, and an exorcism is made. Whatever ones don't stick is where we should go." This sent the group into a raging argument.

"Everyone" Mai said trying to get their attention. "Everyone….SHUT UP!" Mai screamed. "In my dream, at the end…..I didn't say anything at the time…"

"Mai." Naru snapped. "What?"

"A voice told me I was next…. So honestly I think he might come for me no matter what."

"Mai!" Naru yelled. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"I…..it would only worry everyone. I didn't want to say anything until it was necessary." She fiddled with the ends of her skirt.

"Well that settles it." Martin said. "We should all group up in the middle of all the murders at Whitechapel, chances are he will either attack Mai or try and possess her." He stood from his desk. "Now I'm sure you're all tired, the rest of the guest rooms have been prepared down this hall, I'll show you to them."

They all nodded before shuffling from the room, leaving Naru and Mai alone as Martin closed the door. Without warning Naru took Mai's face and kissed her, it wasn't a gentle kiss, it was a rough, desperate kiss. He backed her up against a wall and slipped his arms around her waist. Mai melted at his touch and molded her body against his, a perfect fit. She loved the way their toungs found each other and wave of emotion she felt from Naru.

After a moment they slowed down and he pulled away, only to lean his head against her shoulder. "From now on Mai, tell me everything in your dreams Mai. Every detail no matter how small, no more trying to spare my feelings at the risk of your safety…..Mai I….I love you." He lifted his eyes to hers, searching for an answer. "I loved you the moment your curiosity took you in that school house, I didn't know it then but I did. I love you like there's no meaning to life unless you're in mine. When we go back to Japan I want to live together, you can move in with me, or we can find a new apartment I don't care. I want to spend every moment I can making you happy."

Mai put her hands in his hair, obviously crying. He leaned forward and kissed every tear away. "I love you too." She whispered and began to laugh and kiss him desperately. "I've waited so long for you to say that to me I can't even describe how I'm feeling. But I love you, whether you're Kazuya Shibuya, or Oliver Davis or Noll or Naru. I love you so much."

Naru chuckled and kissed her neck, pulling her close. Mai kissed his head and smiled.


	9. Jack is back, part 2 (M for smut)

Hours later, after much kissing, talking and tears (on Mai's part) they emerged from the study, it was nearly time to get going. Downstairs everyone was already dressed and eating. Ayako looked up suspiciously at the two but then turned back to her food as Naru and Mai sat.

Martin, seeing everyone was there went over the plan once more. "We'll go to the center of Whitechapel, Mai will stand in the park until something happens, and I suspect we'll know something before Mai since Masako will be watching for it. The second the spirit latches onto Mai or attacks her everyone will emerge from their hiding places and chant whatever it is you feel necessary. Madoka, Naru and I will run forward to hold down Mai if it becomes necessary. No matter what happens though, everyone needs to be prepared for it to get ugly."

Everyone nodded solemnly before finishing their food; Naru rested his hand on Mai's knee under the table and squeezing it gently.

"When everyone's ready, we'll leave."

-Time skip, Whitechapel-

Mai stood in the park, sitting on a bench close to where she had passed out the day before; at first she didn't feel anything. Then a cold breeze that seemed only to focus on her, like a breath, sent chills down her back. Mai shivered and glanced behind her, no one. Looking around, she felt 'Jack the Ripper' behind every shadow and began to shake, But then she heard Naru's voice in her head, telling her to calm down, she could do this and like planned she took a deep breath and calmed herself. Then everything went wrong.

She felt a stabbing pain in her lower abdomen; she tore at her jacket to see blood seeping through her white shirt and the top of her skirt.

"AAAAHHHHHHHH" she screamed and crumpled to the ground, she felt something claw like rip at her face and tear at her hair, before she knew it Naru, Martin and Madoka were grabbing her, holding her down and she began to hallucinate. In every face that she saw friendship was replaced by the man who killed the woman in the ally. They all wore leather aprons and tall hats. She began to scream and thrash about.

"Mai hold on for a bit longer!" one of the voices screamed, which was odd since they were the ones trying to kill her. More copies of 'Jack the Ripper' advanced, with knives for hands and leather aprons. They were all chanting something and she felt her back arch, a blood curdling scream ripped through her lungs that could shatter glass. She felt her stomach twist and boil and hands reach under her skin, to pull something out. Something they were desperate enough to collect they would kill.

"Nooo no no no no no no no." she began to mumble; eyes shut and tears streaking free. Behind her closed eyes she felt women gently pull her into darkness and cradle her close.

"Just stay here for a bit Mai." They whispered. "Just stay until it's over and you can go back." One whispered. "We owe you so much; he's kept us here for eternity it seems, just reenacting his murders every night. We thought we would never be free, and then we found you. A girl who could see our pain, help us put an end to it."

A woman stroked Mai's hair. "We're so sorry he's doing this, so we took you here. You won't feel it here. But you won't die either; you're too strong for that." Mai looked up, at their glowing faces and she saw joy, the joy that had been taken from them nearly 100 years ago had been restored.

**-With Naru-**

Jack was gone, that much had been clear. Another successful exorcism, but Mai still wasn't awake. In fact she'd been in the hospital for three days on breathing support. Her face looked like it had been attacked by bird claws, her stomach wasn't bleeding but a large bruise the size of a football had bloomed within seconds so dark it matched Naru's eyes.

Since then, everyone had returned home, Ayako and Monk set out on a mission to clean Mai's home so she could rest when she returned, John was going to help Yasu in the office, Masako was, well Masako and Lin was waiting at his house with Martin. Naru's mother, Luella had come to relieve her son from the 48 hours he spent awake but he refused to leave, after a while his mother gave in and demanded a bed be rolled in for her son.

It wasn't until the fifth day, Mai finally woke. The doctors hurriedly took the tube from Mai's throat allowing her to breathe on her own and gently sat her up.

"Mai." Naru whispered against her forehead, kissing her gently. "I'm so glad you're awake."

Mai nodded and smiled. "You won't believe what happened when I went under." She sounded almost giddy. "The victims took me away during his attack, so I wouldn't have to feel what they went through. I was only awake for maybe two minutes. After that I didn't feel anything, isn't that amazing."

Naru smiled slowly, tears in his eyes and kissed her head again. "I'm so glad you didn't experience it Mai, really you can't image how relieve I feel." He kissed her head again and held her close.

"Really Naru, I feel fine. How are you?" she asked against his neck, he let out a deep sigh. "Better now I know you're okay. As soon as you're ready we'll fly back to Japan."

"Ms. Taniyama." A doctor said coming in with a clip board. "I have a few questions regarding your health insurance, I'm afraid we don't accept the military benefits from Japan."

Naru stiffened and kissed Mai's head again. "Doctor, I'll straighten everything out in a moment."

"What did he want?" Mai asked as the doctor left, her English had fallen flat.

"Don't worry Mai; I'll take care of everything." He kissed her head again; he was doing that a lot recently and woke his mother, after mumbling a few words she nodded in agreement.

"Doctor, all the fees will be run through me." Luella said handing the doctor her identity. "I'm sure we can manage a payment plan." The doctor nodded and they became engrossed in discussion.

Naru returned to Mai, who had (unsurprisingly) fallen asleep again. It took another two days before the bruising had gone down enough for Mai to leave, her face completely healed.

On the ride to Naru's house Mai suddenly smiled and turned over to him. "You know, you never did show me fun after the tea house."

Naru grinned and took her hand, kissing her knuckles. "When you're all better Mai, I'll show you the time of your life."

Mai smiled and squeezed his hand before they pulled into the driveway of his home. He carried her into the house, bridal style and straight up to her bedroom. "Do you want me to start you a bath?"

"Yes, please." Mai spent an hour or so, soaking in the hot water, letting the steam fill her nostrils before she breathed it back out. Her bruise had been reduced to dark brown with a little blue at the end, but nothing to gross. She managed to finish without incident, oh Naru would be proud. She slipped into a blue tank top and shorts before Naru knocked on her door.

"Mai, are you dressed."

"Yeaaaaaaaa." She grumbled with her stomach as he entered. "I'm hungryyyyyy." Looking up she saw a tray of food and smiled. "So you're a mind reader too?"

"Occasionally" He smirked setting the tray down on her nightstand and helped her sit up. "Today however, we've just switched rolls. I am the handsome tea making secretary and you are the beautiful brooding boss that only wears black."

Mai giggled and kissed his cheek. "I like this, maybe I'll go to the hospital more often."

Naru paled and shook his head. "More than you already do? Mai if that were the case I'd have to move the office."

"Jerk!" Mai yelled slapping his arm as he crawled into the bed next to her.

"Don't be an idiot, eat your soup." He set the bed tray in front of her. "Chicken noodle and crackers, the doctor said nothing to heavy."

Mai nodded and dipped a saltine into the broth and biting it smiling. "You'd make a good house wife."

"Mai" He warned, ego almost bruised, though he couldn't hide his smirk/smile.

"How does it feel now that I've become the slave driver?" Mai said teasing him lightly, finishing her soup Naru slid from the bed taking her tray and kissed her head. "Get some sleep, and to stop any funny business you're not allowed to leave your room, it's almost 10:00 anyway."

Mai pouted but did as he asked, slipping into a deep sleep as her lights went out.

**-With Naru downstairs-**

Naru washed Mai's dishes before his mother came up behind him.

"Noll, I just finished the last of the laundry. You're tickets are scheduled for tomorrow morning."

Naru smiled and turned around. "I'm going to be alright mom, I always am."

"I know." She said taking his face. "But, I'm your mother. I'm going to worry no matter what you tell me. I'm concerned about Mai as well."

"We're moving in together." He said a sly smirk/smile that his mother knew all too well.

She squealed and embraced her son. "Good, you need someone to cook and take care of you."

"Mother." He said chuckling. "I'm a grown man."

"You're still only 18." She pointed out. "So by law yes, but you're not a grown man until at least 20 and even then I may deny you."

"I have a doctorate." Naru said following his mother from the kitchen, turning out the lights for the night.

"So does your father, and he's still a child at heart." She kissed her son goodnight and went to bed.

Naru sat in his bed for several minutes until he heard a knock at his door. "Mai, you should be resting." He called moving from his sheets, opening the door his breath caught. Mai, was wearing nothing but his button up shirt, a bra and underwear. "Mai.." his voice hitched as he glanced around in the dark hallway, was anyone watching?

Mai smiled pushing him into the room and closing the door behind her. She reached her arms up and kissed him deeply, pushing her tongue into his mouth, which he accepted willingly. She ran her hands up and down his bare back and chest, slowly pushing him towards the bed until he fell onto his back. Mai slowly (using all the seduction she had) saddled his waist.

Naru gave Mai all his attention, what was she doing? She smiled slowly and began to undo each button slowly until Naru's shirt lay open on him. Naru reached his hand under the shirt and spread his palms over her cool creamy skin, then used his other arm to pull the shirt free. He sat up and pressed his lips to her neck. "Mai," he whispered. "I don't think you know what you're doing to me."

Mai smiled and grinded herself against him "Oh Naru, I do, I really think I do."

He wrapped his arm around her waist and quickly moved her against him so he was hovering over her on the bed. He kissed her then, with his desperate lips and she met him back full force, toungs meeting each other like old lovers.

He picked her up slightly to get a hand to the clasp of her bra, freeing her successfully and smiled taking on his mouth. She wrapped her arms around his head and arched her back in pleasure. "Oh Naruuuu." She moaned with little gasps as he used teeth and tongue to send her waves of pleasure before he moved on down her waist, giving her bruise extra sensitive attention. He pressed his finger to the wet spot forming in her panties and smiled up at her. "It seems you've gotten started without me Mai."

Mai's laughed turned into quick gasps as Naru removed her panties and pressed his fingers at her entrance, giving little irregular movements until finally he plunged two fingers deep into her. Mai's gasp turned into a moan of pleasure as she began to buck her hips into him grasping for bed sheets as anchor.

"Mai." He said thrusting his hand in and out. "If you get to loud my parents will hear you."

"You try staying quiet when it's your tuuuurrrnnnnnnnn." Her rant slipped into a moan as Naru's finger brought her closer to climax. With his free hand he pulled himself free of sweat pants and boxers. He placed himself at her entrance moving around to prepare himself and her.

"Stop playing with meeeee." Mai gasped placing her hand at her entrance, brushing her fingers along his throbbing sex. A short thrust from Naru placed himself midway into Mai, just brushing her virgin wall. Her cries of pain/pleasure cut off by Naru's lips. He bit her lip lightly and massaged her breast with his free hand. "Are you ready?" he asked with hot breath in Mai's ear. She nodded yes and gripped his shoulders; another thrust and Naru broke her barrier and buried himself deep within Mai, where he always wanted to be. They both felt the warm trickle seep from Mai as tears formed her eyes with her short gasps. Naru waited for a moment and slowly began to move, in and out. Mai waited for the heat of pain to melt away to pleasure and she met every thrust with one of her own trying desperately to get him further inside her. Naru's grunts grew louder and he pressed his face against her neck.

"Shhh, you might wake your parents." This remark got her a quick bite in the neck as punishment, swiftly followed with nips and lips insuring a dark mark for the morning she would have to cover up.

When she reached her climax, Mai's walls tightened around him, her thighs clenched and her back arched. She pressed her lips to the side of his ear making sure Naru heard every part as she moaned his name in climax. Naru grunted as her body clenched his sex and soon filled her with a hot liquid.

He moved a few more times before pulling himself from her body entirely, covering her body instead with small kisses that made her sigh and swoon.

Please remember to review and suggest anything that may make this fic better for your viewing pleasure, I know I used a lot of time skips this time and I apologize. But nothing interesting ever happens in car rides XD UNTIL NEXT TIME!


	10. Buried Sins, part 1

-It's been a week since they've returned from England, Mai has officially moved in to Naru's apartment-

Naru busted in the apartment door. "Last box." He said setting it down on a pile of boxes of about 30. "Mai you have a lot of stuff."

"I have a lot of stuff!" she yelled disbelieving from the bedroom. "For every tampon I own, or ever will own in my lifetime, you have like a bazillion books!"

"Let's not talk about your hygiene supplies." He called locking the door.

"Well get used to it pal! Now, where do I put my clothes?"

Naru sighed making his way to the bedroom. "Where ever you want, I'll have to get another dresser for you. Mine is full already."

"With books I bet." Mai muttered a little too loudly.

"Actually" he said picking her up like a bride. "I have socks, boxers, pajamas, t-shirts, pants and ties. You have panties, bras, skirts, shorts, jeans, leggings/tights, belts, socks, tank tops and a million other things. You will need a bigger dresser. But for now, let's just make out."

"No!" she squealed freeing herself from his arms. "We have a case tomorrow!" she reminded him. "If I let you fall back in your work because you have a skirt to chase in your apartment you would be mad at me all the time."

Naru raised an eyebrow, she was partially true, he had loads of work to research but all he wanted to do was mess with Mai's skirt. "I wouldn't get mad." He said crossing his arms.

"Well here's a little poem I wrote for you" she pressed a finger against his chest and looked up at him with her big brown eyes. "Go to work, chase a skirt" she chanted smiling. "Now what comes first?"

"Tea." He mumbled before moving to his desk in the living room.

"Close enough." She said making his tea. "So what's the case anyway?" she asked setting a hot cup next to his computer.

"A pastor friend of John's is having some problems with people going missing from his parish. He's also been hearing tools in the shed moved when it's locked, cold spots in the confession box (They tried moving it but it didn't work) Then he began to hear people cry, and see white figures praying in the pews."

"Sound's ghostly." She said smiling at him. "So, _tomorrow 10:00 am don't be late Mai!_" She said mimicking his tone of narcissist.

"Oh, I'll make sure of it." He said grinning at her, almost seductively.

"Work before skirt." She reminded him carefully. "But be in bed by a reasonable time tonight." She said pointing a finger. They kissed each other goodnight and Mai made her way to bed.

-The next morning-

Naru's alarm, that seemed to get louder the longer you leave it on woke Mai to find Naru already out of the shower.

"I could get use to towel Naru." She said smiling.

"Think of it as my skirt." He said grinning. "What comes before skirt?"

Mai groaned and threw a pillow at him, streaking into the bathroom before he could retaliate.

By the time they arrived at SPR they were first as always, though every time someone arrived they made sure to mention how surprised they were at Mai's early appearance, except Masako.

The ride was long and silent, like always. Lin and Naru talked back and forth in English which gave Mai the perfect time to sleep, except the moment they pulled onto the grounds Mai wanted to scream and run away, though she didn't know why.

It looked like a normal farm church, one room except for the basement used in case of emergency and the pastor's house out back. The thing that made Mai want to run was the fact that the entire yard was filled with grave markers. The church was surrounded by a cemetery. Even Lin looked uneasy.

When they parked a man in his 40's came out to greet them, all smiles and hugs. John smiled and shook the father's hand. "These are my friends, Ayako, Monk, Masako, Lin, Mai and Mr. Shibuya."

"My name is Father Bob, I'm also from Australia." He said using the best Japanese he could muster. "The basement has a bad leak, so I'm afraid you must use the chapel for sleeping quarters and base, but I've set up screens for privacy."

"That will be fine." Naru said. "Start bringing in the equipment." He ordered.

After all the equipment had been brought in and the room measured Mai noticed a little blond boy sitting behind mother Mary.

"Father, who's that?" she asked quietly.

"Oh that's Michael; His father died a few months ago, we're still trying to find his mother or any family for that matter. One of the ghosts scared him and he hasn't been speaking." He said sadly.

"Do you mind if I try?" Mai asked Father Bob nodded.

"If you can help, then by all means" Father Bob said.

Naru and the other watched Mai approach Michael, he shied away at first but let her come close. She smiled and laughed. We couldn't hear the words she was saying but her face said enough. After a few minutes of talking the boy lunged forward and wrapped his arms around Mai's neck, he was only about 4 years old. Mai smiled and let him sit on her lap and stroked his back.

"Well look at that." John said smiling. "I've been trying to get Michael to talk for months now, Mai takes five minutes and boom."

Ayako smiled. "Something about Mai is so warm; she can melt even the coldest hearts. isn't that right Naru!"

Naru's glare only made everyone laugh. Mai came back over, boy sitting on her hip.

"Michael, can you tell this man what you just told me?" She asked in a kind soothing voice.

"The ghost's, were praying." He said pointing at the pews. "Right there, they were all asking god for forgiveness."

"And" Mau prompted the little boy.

"A man in a black robe walks outside."

Mai smiled at the boy. "Good boy, you were very brave." Another minute passed and a heard of kids flooded the chapel. "Why don't you go play, and I'll come visit you later?"

Michael nodded and ran off to join the other children.

"I think he means a pastor." She said crossing her arms. "Man in black."

"We'll need records on every death and burial outside." Naru said addressing Father Bob.

"I'll give you a hand Father." John said following him from the room.

"Masako and Bou-san go around the grounds outside and check for spirits, Ayako I want you to make charms for every child here, and us." Naru ordered. "Mai, set up the equipment and don't forget the confession box."

Mai stepped into the confession box, setting up a mic and camera in the top corner. Then the door slammed shut, she tried to move it.

"Naru!" she called. "Hey the door's stuck!" She tried to move it again, the temperature dropped. She whipped around and turned the camera on.

"LIN THE DOOR IS JAMMED!" she yelled into the camera.

"Mai!" She heard Naru and Lin run over to her.

"The temperature dropped…and Naru….someone's in here with me."

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Dont forget to REVIEW! Also, if you enjoy my writing i've posted another Ghost Hunt Fanfiction, it's called 'In Another Life'.


	11. Buried Sins, part 2

Mai turned to face the ghostly figure on the other side of the confession box. A man, no more than 30 years old kneeled in cloths worn for rice farming.

"Forgive me father for I have sinned." The man whispered making a cross over his chest. "I wish harm upon my wife, she's been unfaithful with our neighbor and I wish harm upon him as well."

Mai spoke, with a voice not her own. "Ten hail Mary's every night until these thoughts are gone, then return to confession." The voice was deep, and when she looked down she was wearing a black pastor robe, then it was gone along with the man who had been praying. Naru ripped the door open, immediately grabbing Mai and yanking her free before something else could happen.

"Are you alright?" he half asked and yelled.

She nodded taking a deep breath. "I'm fine, a man was in confession and I….. I think I was a pastor."

When everyone returned from their jobs Mai explained her vision to everyone, then John handed out files over the buried and all the deaths in the last hundred years, going by Mai's description the man couldn't have died any sooner than that.

It took three hours to find an answer and for once, Mai was the one who found it. She threw her hands in the air and yelled "I'VE GOT IT!"

"Well." Naru said from the computers, obviously entertained with the idea Mai would have solved the case for once.

"Okay, there's a confession log." She said showing it to everyone like Vanna White. "For every confession, there's a death. A man found out his wife was cheating on him with another man, a week later his wife and her lover go missing. A woman is having lustful thoughts for another woman, two days later she goes missing, ummmmmmmm" she flipped a few more pages. "A boy steals bread for his family, the next day he's gone too. What if every sin confessed to the pastor was punished? What if the pastor went on a killing spree, _smiting the wicked_?" she asked using her scariest story voice

"That would explain the cold spot in confession, the people praying, and the ghostly pastor. What if he's still punishing them?" Monk said slowly.

"But no one's used confession in months, how does that explain the missing people?" Asked Father Bob

"Well, it could be an earth bound spirit." Ayako said smugly. "The spirit could be watching during service, deciding those who are guilty without them confessing. Looking for small things in their actions to give them away."

"Well done." Naru said looking up at Mai, a smidge of pride in his eyes. "Tea."

Mai slumped "Yes slave driver." He smirked.

While she was making tea, Michael ran up behind her and hugged her leg. "Michael would you like some tea too?" she asked, he scrunched his face and shook his head.

"Well, let me take this to Naru and then we can play." she said grinning, there was still a little sunlight yet.

She hustled and handed Naru the tea. "Michael and I are going to play with chalk outside." Without waiting for approval she took the child in her arms and carried him outside and knelt on the sidewalk, it was about thirty minutes later when Mai yelped, grabbed Michael and hustled back inside. "The pastor's outside." She yelled trying to shush a crying Michael.

Monk, Naru, Lin and Ayako rushed out into the yard. Mai handed Michael to John and Masako. "I'm going to make him something to calm his nerves." She said before rushing to the kitchen.

**-Five minutes later-**

"He's gone." Naru said coming back in, then he froze knowing it had already happened before anyone said anything. "Where's Mai….."

"Kitchen" John said slowly rocking the now sleeping Michael. Naru ran through the pews and burst into the small kitchen, the fridge was open, tea pot smashed into tiny bits on the ground and a smear of blood.

"DAMN IT!" he yelled at the top of his lungs, why was it always Mai? "He dragged her out the back door." He yelled running back into the chapel. "She could be anywhere."

"We'll find her." Lin assured checking the cameras; of course they all had interference from whatever grabbed her.

"Why would Mai be taken?" Ayako asked. "He only takes sinners, what sin could Mai have possibly committed?"

"Mai's on anti-depressants." Naru revealed sadly, if he hadn't found the bottle himself he wouldn't even know about it. Mai hadn't told him, she must have been embarrassed.

"Not surprising." Monk said standing. "After everything that's happened, if I were her I'd need a little help getting up in the morning too."

"Were any of the missing people found?" Naru asked John, he shook his head.

"The grounds have been searched and searched again. There's nowhere."

"She's only been missing a few hours." Lin said trying to appease Naru, it didn't work.

**-With Mai-**

She woke up in darkness, blinking a few times to make sure her eyes were open. It smelt like, dirt. Dirt, mold and wood surrounded her. Realization dawned and she started to scream banging on the wooden box surrounding her to no avail. She had been buried alive by a dead priest. And worst off yet, she wasn't alone in this box, bones of another victim were nestled under her.

Mai kicked and screamed but nothing happened. "I…I have to sleep…" she said closing her eyes. She astral projected before she could do it now, maybe.

_When she appeared before them, no one seemed to notice her, except Masako which was weird._

Masako looked up suddenly, eyes bright with fear. "Oh my god, Mai is here."

"What?" Naru glanced around. "Masako now is NOT the…." He looked at her face. "What do you mean?"

"Her spirit…. She's not dead but….she will be very soon. Mai has one foot in the spirit world." Masako stood.

"The cemetery!" John yelled getting to his feet. "There was a flood recently and almost a dozen graves had to be re dug, no one would notice if there was another disturbed spot, what if all the victims are being buried with the dead?"

"Right" Naru said jumping up, everyone ran outside grabbing shovels from the shed. Lin turned the headlights of the van onto the graveyard. "Everyone, pick the most recently disturbed ground, any one of them could be Mai. We don't have much time."

**-With Mai-**

Mai was still sleeping when the box shook and woke her up a voice pressed against the wood and chuckled, Father Bob. "All your friends are outside digging up graves, when they should be here in the basement. But no worries, it will all be over soon."

The smell of gasoline filled her nose "You're going to burn the church! Father Bob you can't do that!"

"Oh Father Bob died months ago, I possessed him after he molested that little boy that clings to you so much, he was the true sinner. I'm merely doing god's work, 'punishing the wicked' as you put it.' Really Mai, suicidal thoughts and tendencies, that's the real sin."

"And what about murder!" she screamed kicking the box furiously.

"God killed all the firstborn in Egypt; he flooded the earth and lets the devil roam free. Now tell me who the murderer is?" his voice grew distant and Mai heard the door close, then a latch.

"She's not here!" Lin shouted. "My shiki can't find her here."

Naru screamed and chucked his shovel into the woods and ran a hand through his hair. "The basement!" as they turned to face the church the entire building burst into flames shooting sky high. Someone had done it on purpose; the smell of gasoline filled the air more than the oxygen. Naru fell to his knees, numb from everything, even the hate he felt raging inside of him.

**-With Mai-**

"Michael! Is that you?" between the boards she saw a small boy pressing his fingers through the cracks. "Get a knife!" she yelled desperately. "Cut the ropes on the box, quickly!" she cried. The boy ran around, in the dark basement, smoke filling the air.

"I can't find any!" he said crying.

"That's alright, find some paper and light it on fire and try and burn the ropes away." He ran up to the shooting flames and lit a piece of paper, then carried it to the ropes and lit them carefully.

Mai choked on the smoke filling her lungs and burning her eyes, but soon she was free. She burst from the box and saw Michael passed out on the ground. She looked around and saw a small window at the top of the wall. She shook Michael who had his eyes barley open. "You're going to have to run and get Naru okay?" she said taking a small hammer and smashing the glass, just big enough for Michael to fit through. She took the boy and slowly pushed him through careful not to let the glass cut him and let him roll down the hill a few feet. He lay there for a few minutes before regaining consciousness. He got up and stumbled to the front of the church, coughing through hot tears.

Naru saw Michael running, he was covered in soot and burned cloths. "Mai!" he yelled pointing at the building before coughing took him over again. Naru came to his feet and ran to the boy, Mai's arm stuck out a very small window waving frantically.

"Lin!" he screamed running to Mai's side, the flames burning his skin. "Get back Mai; we're going to get you out!"

"The pastor Naru, he's possessed. AAHHHHH NARU BEHIND YOU!" Father Bob came up with a shovel and smashed it across Naru's head rendering him unconscious. Lin tackled the man to the ground, letting John exorcise the struggling pastor. Monk and Ayako desperately beat the shovel against the window, trying to make it big enough for Mai to get through with no avail, then the fire trucks arrived.

Masako guided them to where Mai was and they began to hack at the wall with axes. It wasn't long until they were able to pull Mai free, though she was no longer awake. Ambulances arrived taking Mai, Naru, and Father Bob to the ER, the fire crew stayed behind to put out the fire.

**-One week later-**

It was decided that Father Bob died of smoke inhalation, and he was charged with murder after the fire department found the bodies in the basement. Naru had a mild concussion and was also released later that same day (though he refused to leave without Mai). Mai received a blood transfusion and remained on oxygen until the next day, that night Mai had a dream.

* * *

_Michael stood before her, smiling through his glowing face. "Michael? What are you doing here?" she asked knowing this was a dream, Gene was the only person who came into her dreams. She began to cry. "you're dead aren't you? You always were, this entire time?" her voice broke._

_Michael nodded. "I stole bread for my family."_

_"__Oh honey." Mai cooed holding the boy close. "It wasn't a sin to help your family, you did nothing wrong."_

_"__I know that now, that's why I had to stay. I had to help the others but no one would listen to me convinced they had gotten what they deserved. So I managed to possess the father for long enough to call John Brown and request an exorcism."_

_"__You're so brave." Mai said kissing his head. "Your mother would be so proud."_

* * *

Mai woke gently, for the first time in a long time; Naru wiped a tear from her face. "Michael?" he asked, she nodded.

"I looked him up after I was released, he died 68 years ago, and they found his body in the basement. His mother is still alive, she had him buried." Naru smiled and kissed her head lightly. "When you get better we can go visit him."

"I'd like that." Mai whispered through her oxygen mask. Monk, Ayako, John and even Masako entered the room then, Monk obviously had been crying with Ayako all night.

"My baby!" monk cried taking Mai's free hand and kissing it. "I'm so happy my little princess is alright."

"Monk!" she said pulling her hand away, laughing with everyone.

**Once again, SPR saved the day, and nothing felt better**

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Please remember to Review so I can make this better for your viewing pleasure. What did you think about this case? (It literally came to me in a dream last night) freaky right? any-way REVIEW REVIEW


	12. Welcome to WonderLIN, part 1

"Mai, tea!" Naru yelled from his office, he heard the familiar groan from Mai and smiled to himself, despite their new found relationship things had mostly stayed the same, except for the few kisses he would sneak with her every now and then.

When she did enter her face seemed distracted, distant with a far off memory. She stood in front of his desk, holding his tea staring blankly at the wall. Then, like she usually did she snapped out of it and plastered a blinding smile across her face before setting down the tea. "Cases?" she asked.

Not that she would ever admit it, but Mai was getting a little stir crazy and was craving a life threatening accident to get her adrenaline pumping.

"As a matter of fact yes, first Mai let us test your observation skills."

"You brought our overnight bags this morning and I already know Lin isn't here." She said interrupting him smiling. "I tried to bring him tea."

"You bring other men tea?" he asked slowly, it wasn't jealousy, more curiosity, is this why his tea rations have been dwindling so quickly.

"Lin is hardly another man." She said crossing her arms. "Now, case." She said hurriedly, obviously interested.

"Lin's family in China is responsible for taking care of a shrine, recently some construction nearby has disrupted them and some have become rather violent. Lin thought he could handle it himself, mostly because he wasn't keen on a bunch of Japanese people in his home. But one of his sisters was recently harmed, so all racism out the window we're leaving. Tonight."

Mai took a moment to bring in all this information. "LIN HAS SIBLINGS!?" she squealed ignore all the important information, as always.

"You won't meet any of them Mai; he's already sent them across town to get out of the line of fire." Naru said finishing his tea quickly.

"Oh, we'll see if he can stop me." Mai said, a plan already forming.

"Lin is the size of a mountain, plus he has shiki." Naru pointed out ushering Mai down towards the van where the rest of SPR was already waiting, all equally excited to be going to Lin's homeland. Mai took her time greeting each member of SPR smiling when she realized Madoka had arrived.

"Here to make your move?" she whispered smiling.

Madoka grinned and pinched her arm. "I've been making moves for three years Mai, but there is no way you and Naru are going to leave me in the dust!" she said, a little too loud. She threw an arm around Naru and Mai's shoulders. "I've mailed all the equipment to China, now the jet's going to leave in one hour so let's get going!"

"Jet?" John asked.

"Due to the urgency of this case, Naru's parents lent me the jet, how do you think I got here so fast?" she asked laughing.

Naru sighed and pulled himself free of her motherly grip. "Can we go now!"

Everyone loaded into Madoka's van which had just enough room for everyone to fit just a little to snuggly, not that Naru minded, he had the passenger side though he did feel bad for Mai, the petite girl was being squished between the door and Monk who was too busy arguing with Ayako beside him to remember the frail girl beside him, but she showed no signs of caring in her sleep.

The plane ride was much of the same, Madoka had demanded to sit between Naru and Mai to stop any 'funny business' from happening mid-air claiming that their raging hormones (Which Naru claimed to not have due to his 'higher intellect') would take control and take down the entire plane.

Mai had laughed at this agreeing as long as she got the window seat, which she did even though she was asleep before the plane took off and didn't awake until after they landed.

"Mai." Naru said shaking her awake. "I don't pay you to sleep."

"Actually" she countered smugly. "My abilities only happen in my sleep, the information I gather in my slumber has solved many cases. I dare say Mr. Davis that you _DO_ pay me to sleep. Now, let me return to my office." She closed her eyes and snuggled back into the seat. Everyone in SPR burst into idiotic laughter at Mai's revelation and jab at Naru's ego, even Noll laughed and shook her awake again.

"Mai come on, don't you miss Lin-san?" he asked

"Lin is mean." She groaned throwing off the blankets she had acquired during her rest. "But he will warm up to me!" she yelled getting to her feet pointing her hand in the air. "He will grow affection towards me if it's the last thing I do!"

SPR just stood staring and laughing at Mai while the other passengers got off the plane. "Is your master plan to make all of SPR like you?" Madoka asked smiling.

"No, but somehow Lin deflected my charms." Mai said looking up sweetly. "How can you hate this face?"

"Masako?" Monk inserted laughing. (Masako was NOT amused)

SPR shuffled out of the plane to find Lin waiting for them with a girl who was about 4 or 5 years old. "Is that a sister?" she asked Madoka, almost violently.

"Yes, she wanted was the one injured."

Madoka glided up to Lin who noticed her but remained passive. "Hello darling, have you missed me?" she knelt down next to his sister. "You must be Lily"

The little girl nodded before hugging Lin's leg, who then proceded to pick her up and smile.

"Did Lin just smile?" Mai asked John, confident it had been a mirage.

He nodded, equally surprised. "It should seem Lin does indeed smile."

Lin nodded at Naru, merely glancing at the rest of SPR though his gaze did seem to linger on the ever smiling Madoka. He led them to another van outside, and this time Naru was the one being shoved against Mai, though he wasn't about to complain.

The ride through China's back streets was very interesting. It was filled with closely built buildings and outside markets, not to mention the entire population on bicycles riding against them like a swarm of fish against the current. When they finally arrived at Lin's childhood home Mai couldn't help but be the first to groan, at least 3 stories of stone steps appeared in front of them, the shrine and everything else was at the top.

"Just be happy the post man had do deliver all the boxes up the stairs already." Madoka said smiling at Mai. "Besides, it could be worst."

Lin smiled at Mai wickedly.

"You know Lin, that's the first time you've ever smiled at me but I'm not sure I like it." She said scratching her head.

"Well when Madoka says worst, she means everyone has to sleep in the same room as the base because that's all the room I can spare. And I don't have Naru's tea blend."

"I should've stayed in Japan." Mai muttered hauling her bag up the stone steps.

* * *

As requested, im trying to slow down the cases a little more XD, for now on i promise to try and put in a little more fluff.

Also did you catch what i did with the title? wonderLIN instead of wonderLAND because it's set in Lins home? get it? Are you picking up what im laying down? yolo#swag. XD


	13. Welcome to WonderLIN, part 2

At the top of the stone stepped torture a set of buildings set like a Mayan pyramid. The buildings walls were covered in sliding screens and the roofs were painted red. The concrete ground was covered with fallen cherry blossoms and tree leaves, the shrine stood nestled behind them hiding like a fox.

"Base is already set up." Lin said pulling a screen aside. Inside was a room about 30 feet wide and 20 feet long. Bedding had already been set up along with screens for changing.

"Lin would you make the wards this time, since were in China I think Japanese wards would only provoke the spirits rather than keep them away. Ayako, go check the trees, Ms. Hara and John please walk the grounds. Monk can bring up the bags, and Mai."

"TEA!" shouted Madoka obviously entertained by the fact she could predict his next move, but he said nothing, merely nodded.

"Lin-san doesn't have tea Naru, remember." Mai said slipping into slippers. (Say that five times fast)

"Then take a nap." He said somewhat irritated after her airplane comment and from his lack of tea.

"It's what you pay me for!" she said planting a quick kiss on his cheeks she found a sleeping mat in the corner and before long she was out, Mai always did have a talent for sleeping anywhere.

Naru looked up after a few minutes and realized Mai was still sitting up, and her eyes were as white as snow.

"Lin" Naru said suddenly pulling the silent man into reality. Seconds after glancing at Mai he was across the room laying her gently on her back mumbling something in Chinese.

_"__The people, people so many people. Restless, all of them don't know where they are, scared too, very scared." Mai's voice rambled on numbly._

"How many people are with you?" Lin asked clearly

_"__Not many, 6 exactly, all sad and angry their home has been disrupted. Violence yes, they want violence."_

"How can I appease them without the violence?" Lin asked carefully taking Mai's pulse. Naru stood nervously behind him knowing better than to interfere with Lin during his work.

_"__No. Blood will cleanse this land, and then the rain will wash it away to begin anew." Mai let out a raspy breath and slumped into the sleeping cot._

"She's fine." Lin said knowing Naru's questions. "The spirit of an old shrine keeper possessed her, obviously worried about the new spirit activity."

Just as he made this discovery they rest of SPR strolled carelessly into the room.

"Oh what has that girl gone and done now." Masako said behind her kimono.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ayako snapped, Monk standing behind her as back up.

"She's always the center of attention on cases; she's just throwing herself at Naru for his affections." Masako said sighing. "It's quite sad really."

"Ms. Hara, if you must know Mai and I have been living together for some time now, even despite that fact Mai is not the kind of person to 'throw' herself at me as you put it. However Ms. Hara I would like to remind you of the blackmail dates you put me through while my identity was still a secret, yes I would consider that throwing yourself at me, as many women have given my good looks." Naru's voice was like a quickly bladed punishment, like a sword sweeping down from above severing your tongue from your head so you wouldn't dare speak to him.

Monk was the first to speak, like always. "YOU AND MAI ARE DATING!?" Anger and surprise surfaced behind his soft gaze.

Ayako snickered at Masako and Monk's reactions. It was about time someone pulled that kimono off their high horse and Naru was just the man for the job.

Naru looked at Monk with lazy eyes. "Is that a question?"

Mai's eyes fluttered open and she stiffened a yawn. "What a weird…. Why is everyone hovering around me?" she asked sitting up.

"You were possessed in your sleep." Lin said gently helping her sit up. "The spirit of an old shrine keeper was worried so he spoke through you." He explained.

Mai nodded "Yea, I remember him speaking to me and then he showed me the spirits, all of them are women who lost their children."

Lin nodded. "Yes, this particular shrine was used to appease the spirits of mothers from the hospitals down the road. Most women either died in child birth or shortly after due to infection. But that was 70 years ago if not more."

"So they're earth bound spirits huh?" Ayako said smugly. "I can take care of that easily."

"Not so fast, even if you could do it were in China not Japan. Therefor Lin should be doing it, Chinese fear Chinese gods not the Japanese."

"There was an insult somewhere in there right?" Ayako said crossing her arms.

"So why did they attack a Lin's sister if they're still grieving over the loss of their own?" Mai asked Lin

"Lily is my niece, my sister died in a car accident a few months ago and Lily has been staying with us."

"But Madoka said she was your sister."

"I treat her like my sister." Lin said to make a point. "Madoka never really pay's attention to details."

"So is it fair to say these spirits prefer children who lost their mothers?" John asked glancing at Mai along with the rest of SPR.

Lin and Naru nodded in agreement. "It should seem so, both Mai and Naru will need to remain on high alert, more so Mai."

"Why more so?" Monk asked.

"Well, Naru was given a new mother early in life and always grew up with the Davis's. Mai just lost her mother, what 3 maybe 4 years ago. It would stand to reason they would prefer Mai to Naru because her loss is fresher, not to mention she's younger than Naru as well which makes her closer to childhood" Lin pause a moment. "But that doesn't mean Naru is completely out of the woods."

"So what do we do?" John asked Lin

"Well, I'll show Ayako and Monk how to makes Chinese warding charms and we'll place them around Mai and Naru tonight while they sleep. Other than that Naru and Mai cannot go anywhere alone, Mai I mean it." Lin said staring Mai down.

"Yes Lin-san." Mai said standing from her bed. "So what do we do now?"

"Now, we go into town." Naru said grabbing his coat.

"Why? We don't need anything." Mai protested.

"Lin said he didn't have tea." Naru said obviously setting a goal. "We are going to rip apart China until we find a box of Grey Earl."

"I'll go with Naru." Lin said standing. "It's not like he knows where he's going, everyone else make sure Mai doesn't go anywhere alone."

* * *

DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW!


	14. Welcome to WonderLIN, part 3

Before I start this chapter, I would like to acknowledge all my reviewers! Thank you so much for your comments, both complimentary and constructive. Please KEEP LEAVING REVIEWS it makes my writing better XD.

Also, mysterious Guest user who left a comment thank you very much and I hope you continue reading.

* * *

Mai groaned after they left and decided to do the one thing she was most accustomed too, sleeping. The second her head hit her sleeping mat she was pulled into an array of shadows and voices.

"Do you miss your mommy?" The voice was kind, and gentle.

"Yes." Mai couldn't lie, of course she missed her mother, how could anyone not miss their mother?

"We can take you to her." The voice smiled with sharp teeth in the darkness, illuminated by an unseen light.

"No." Mai said determined, squeezing her eyes shut. "My friends need me, I can't go see my mother, not yet."

"You would abandon your mother? Leave her all alone until you felt it was TIME!" The voice screeched like an animal and suddenly a woman appeared crawling on her hands and feet like an angry gorilla with a forced (unnaturally large) smile wrapping around her cheeks. She wore white cloth draped around her like the Virgin Mary wore.

Mai cringed from the voice, but felt breath on the back of her neck. "Don't you love her?" the questioned echoed around Mai, inside her head, inside her thoughts.

"Y..Yes of course I love my mother, and my mother loves me." Mai choked out struggling to breath, no one was touching her but an invisible force was pressing against her esophagus.

-With John-

John, Masako, Monk and Ayako huddled around Mai as she choked on nothing, CPR only upset her breathing more and waking her up so far was NOT working.

And of course, that's when Naru and Ling arrived back, unsuccessful in their tea hunt.

"You guys were supposed to watch her!" Naru yelled as they rushed to her side.

Ling pressed his head against her chest. "The spirits are doing this to her, we need to exorcise her."

"I need lavender, a brass bowl and three candles." He looked at Ayako. "GO!"

The group of friends rushed to their feet running around for supplies. When Lin got it he began crushing the lavender and burning it over each candle as he chanted under his breath. Mai began to shake violently, but her breathing was back. Naru placed a belt in her mouth so she would not bite off her tongue as she seized uncontrollably. Then it stopped, her eyes fluttered open, and of course, the emotional ship wreck that is Mai, began to cry.

Naru rocked her gently, even let Monk in on the hug after pointing out Mia had already been nearly smothered today.

"They're so sad." She whispered. "They said they'd take me to my mother, but I knew they were lying. We have to stop them soon Lin, they're planning something big."

Ling nodded and handed her a charm. "Keep this on you; it will help with your dreams."

Mai nodded taking it gratefully.

"I'm going to exercise them tonight, but I will need you since they seem so drawn to you." Lin pulled Mai to her feet and gently sat on her down on a couch.

"Will you be ready?" he asked eyeing her suspiciously. She nodded and he ruffled her hair, which gave Mau a triumphant smile, he did like her, at least a little bit.

The rest of the day was filled with Naru and his tea-less PMS and the usual fighting. It wasn't until Naru, literally raised his voice above the usual soulless monotone and yelled at everyone that we realized how cold turkey could really affect him.

Mai was sat in the center of the court yard surrounded by potted Aloe plants, which symbolized lose. The spirits would be attracted to this funeral plant, at least that's what John suggested. As if Mai wasn't enough of a neon sign already.

When the ghosts began to swirl, it looked like a scene from Hercules when he jumps into the river in hades to save that bossy chick in the purple dress, but then they stopped. Their formless shapes shifted into sad women made of white smoke.

"We didn't mean to!" once cried frantically.

"He made us!" another whimpered clutching her stomach.

"He took our babies!" a woman screamed angrily behind Mai. "He took them because we were not wed, he claimed they were a sin and threw them down the well!"

Mai looked at Lin frantically; things had obviously taken a turn for the weirdest. There was only one other spirit here that wasn't a mother, the shrine keeper.

"ALL OF THEM ARE SINNERS! THEY DESERVE TO BURN AND NEVER SEE THEIR BASTARD CHILDREN!" The man stood boasting from atop the shrine. "THEY GOT THEIR PUNISHMENT!"

"No!" Mai screamed furiously. "You MURDERER! IF ANYONE WILL BURN IT WILL BE YOU!" she tried to calm herself but her heart was working overtime.

"Please!" she pleaded the mothers. "Fight back! He can't resist all of you! FIGHT FOR YOUR CHILDREN!"

The women's spirits all screamed in despair as they flew frantically once more, crashing into one another and turning into a giant cloud that settled around Mia like fog. After a few minutes the fog swirled and was once again filled with the cries of mothers, this time they were angry. They formed themselves into a giant skull with shark teeth and opened wide to devour the now shaking shrine keeper.

Long ghostly hands extended from the gaping spirit mouth and shot out to grab him before he could escape. They pulled him closer and closer until his spirit dissolved into the mouth. The head whipped up and dived into the shrine, taking his spirit to the bottom of the well.

Mai was panting as her heart calmed down, Naru now standing behind her.

"What happened?" she asked taking his offered hand to stand.

"You got through to them; hell hath no fury like a woman scorned is what they say. But I think messing with a mother's child will always awaken a new kind of beast. That's why mothers are the most common, and hardest to get rid of. Their maternal instinct is so strong that even after a 100 or 500 years on this earth they still protect the children they've long forgotten the names and faces of. It's quite loving actually."

The rest of the day went off without a hit; everyone was surprised this case had ended so quickly, though the twist at the end was enough to make everyone want to go home early. A man killing children because their mother were unwed, awful, truly horrible.

Mai spent most of the time asleep, and Naru was on edge and jittery the entire time, by the time they got on the plane he was threatening the flight attendants life for grey earl, which they promptly put tobacco sauce in. It's easiest to say Naru was NOT amused; thought Mai let everyone know she was.

That's right, another case solve by SPR. Too bad Mai didn't get to meet Lin's siblings.

* * *

I apologize for my time away, ive been focusing on a Beauty and the Beast fanfic which has become my second baby (to this Ghost Hunt one of course) I do hope you will all go on over and check it out!


	15. What's a day off?

Mai woke groggily tucked in the security of Naru's arms, glancing at the clock, her head screamed in joy. It was 10:00 am Sunday; the first day off she's had since she moved in with Naru, AND he was sleeping in with her for the first time since, well probably his birth.

She struggled to sit up under the dead weight of his arm, but after a few minutes he stirred, tightening his grip around her waist. "I thought we were sleeping in." he groaned trying to pull her back to him.

"We did, its past 10!" she exclaimed. With that sudden realization Naru jerked awake, sheets falling away to reveal his well-toned upper half. A school girl giggle echoed in Mai's mind and she smiled, _Alllll miiinneeee ladiesssss _she though almost possessively.

"So what do we do?" he asked rolling from the bed stretching his muscles.

"Haven't you ever had a day off?" she asked hugging his tea scented pillow to her chest and breathing in his scent.

"Yea, but I was always looking at maps." He said in a daze. Mai sighed before crawling across the bed and hugging his waist from behind.

"Now that you've found Gene you can stop living for him Naru, do what you want to do." She said placing small kisses on the back of his neck and shoulders. "Today is about you, what do you want to do?"

He turned around to face his beloved Mai. "I want to be with you, show me how to have a day off." A rare smiled played across his lips.

"Do you promise to do what I say?" she asked kissing him lightly. "No matter what?"

He sighed and rolled his head back. "As long as I can have my tea, I suppose I can get through."

Mai squealed and kissed him again. "Good, we're going to the beach." She ran into the closet and handed him a bag. "Inside you will find proper attire for this outing event." She said mimicking his scientist voice.

"Mmmmmmaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiiiii." He groaned taking the bag, but he stopped a smirk quickly forming over his frown. "And what will you be wearing?" his eyebrows bounced suggestively.

"Something you can only see if you wear what's in the bag." She said using her pouting face of power

"What if I don't want other men to see you?" he asked glancing at the bag's contents, at least it was all black.

"Don't worry about that, you really think I want ladies looking at my man? I can't even take you to the store without women jumping from aisle shelves at you." She turned him around and gave his butt a quick smack. "Now go, I've already prepared everything."

By the time he emerged she had already changed into a pair of white shorts and tank top that hugged her body just enough for Naru's pleasure, but a little more than he would like anyone else to see. He, for the first time ever, was wearing a short sleeved black shirt and black swimming trunks.

"LEGS!" she cried throwing out her arms. "You have legs!" she giggled and grabbed his hand smiling.

"Of course I have leg's Mai, did you think I was just levitating everywhere?"

"Well, I'm sure you could if you wanted to. Now let's go." She said dragging him through the apartment and out the door, grabbing the van keys on her way out.

Naru was not happy driving, but Mai didn't have a license yet so it was up to him. He was even less pleased with not knowing where they were going and relying completely on Mai's sense of direction. It wasn't long until they came to a small house next to its own private beach front.

"Mai." He said slowly, she grinned at him wickedly.

"My friend's family left Japan for the summer and asked me to check in on the house occasionally. We have it completely to ourselves." Her eyebrows bounced much like his had only an hour ago. "No one comes this far down the beach anymore."

Naru just shook his head, hiding a smirk that had formed, she really did think out everything. He looked up as her door opened and shut and saw Mai's figure running across the grass to the small gate leading to the beach, stopping to wave at Naru to hurry up.

By the time he grabbed her beach umbrella and made it down to the beach Mai's cloths lay all over the beach, and she was knee deep facing him, gesturing her arms for him to join her.

He smiled at the site for a minute; Mai in a bright blue bikini was something he wanted to enjoy. He admired the curves of her skin and the glow given off by her eyes. He dropped the umbrella on the beach and pulled his shirt over his head which earned him a cat whistle.

Mai ran out of the ocean and back up to him. "You need sunscreen Mr. Davis." She said rummaging through her bag. "Something tells me you don't go outside shirtless a lot and are therefore prone to sunburns unlike myself." She said smiling, pulling a bottle out successfully.

He groaned, but before he could put up a real fight Mai squeezed the bottle into her hands and started rubbing the lotion over his back and shoulders. He grinned to himself. "Mai if you wanted to put your hands on me you could have just done so."

"JERK!" she shrieked and slapped his back playfully. "I'm trying to stop the spread of skin cancer and you are focusing on your vanity! You NARRSISSTIC SCIENTIST!" she yelled before falling into a stream of mumbles only she could hear. She squeezed the sunscreen into his hand, "Rub your own chest." She said grinning evilly. "I know how much you like your body; it would be a shame if I were to take all your opportunities to touch yourself."

He rolled his eyes and rubbed his arms and chest quickly, only giving it half his attention, seeing as Mai was getting back into the ocean, taunting him the way only Mai could. But before he could run into the water and sweep her up, his phone buzzed in the sand.

"Lin." He answered irritably.

"They caught her." Was all he said, those three little words and the weight of the world was gone; everything he had been working for had come down to this. "Naru, they caught the woman who murdered Gene."


	16. Ultimate Sacrifice, part 1

Mai sat quietly in the passenger seat, Naru was holding her hand, stroking his thumb against it absently. He hadn't said anything since he dragged her from the beach, the look on his face. It scared Mai; it was a look that she'd never seen before. It meant so many things though.

"What's going on?" She whispered again, she'd asked the same question a dozen times. He glanced at her, but gave away nothing. She felt like crying, she didn't know what was happening and it was freaking her out. "Is…someone hurt?" she asked

"What? No, god no Mai. The woman….who killed Gene….they found her." he said pressing his lips to her knuckles, more to comfort himself than her.

"Oh my god!" She yelled frantically. "Well what are they doing?"

"They arrested her for whatever the equivalent for manslaughter in Japan is." The van pulled to a stop, Mai maneuvered her way into the back seat, Naru moved to her spot and Lin jumped into the driver's side and took off for the police station.

When they arrived, the woman was crying in interrogation, they were staring through the two way mirror, Naru stood there numb. Like he couldn't believe it, without warning he ran from the office and threw open the door, the woman obviously recognized him and screamed in terror.

"YOU KILLED HIM!" Naru screamed lunging at her; he grabbed her shirt and shoved her up onto the wall. "WHY!"

Lin followed by Mai broke into the room before any other police officers realized what was happening, Lin couldn't get Naru off her. "MAI DO SOMETHING!"

She rushed up to Naru and squeezed herself between them, breaking their eye contact. "OLIVER DAVIS!" She screamed. "SHE WILL GET WHAT'S COMING TO HER!"

Naru's eyes flickered, and their anger drained. He released the woman who fell to the ground sobbing. Mai caught Naru as he fell forward, drained physically and emotionally. She helped him to a bench outside while Lin took care of the woman.

"Naru" she whispered stroking his hair. "You can't just do that; the government will take care of this. It's almost nine Naru, we're going home. Now" she pulled him to his feet and pulled him through the office outside where a cab was waiting, on Lin's request.

The ride home was silent, the entire time Mai just held his hands stroking his thumbs trying to comfort him the only way she knew how. When they arrived home she guided him up the stairs and opened the door fluidly allowing him to stumble into the bedroom just in time to collapse.

"Tea?" she asked gingerly from the doorway, already mentally checking if they had everything. His silence was answer enough. When she returned with his tea he had already stripped into his sweatpants and lay on the bed shirtless, face in a pillow. She set the tea aside and stripped into her own night ware, which consisted of one of his shirts and a pair of his boxers. After very little research, she discovered he liked it when she wore his cloths. He pushed himself up and drank the tea slowly before setting it aside. He sat on the edge of the bed, his face in his hands. Mai knelt in front of him and took his hands in her own.

"Naru" she whispered kissing his knuckles. "Don't do anything rash" she whispered.

Before she could think of anything else to say he cupped her face and kissed her. This kiss was different than the normal ones; there were the ones she got in the morning and at night when they went to bed. Those kisses were gentle, caressing. Then there were the kisses she got during sex, the ones they snuck in at the office and the ones she got after they fought and made up later. Those kisses were passionate and rough, almost violent, they were filled with lust and yearning. This kiss was gentle, and almost numb. He needed the comfort that came with her kisses; this kiss wasn't about sex or love. It was about comfort.

She kissed him back gently, until she felt salty tears on her lips. She pulled away, he was crying. Naru the narcissist was crying. His face was streaked with tears and his eyes were red. She turned out the light and led him to the bed again, this time she lay on her back with his arms wrapped around her waist, his head resting in the crook of her neck while she stroked his hair, they fell asleep not knowing the horror that would wake them.

It was hours later, and in the middle of the night when Naru woke screaming. Mai tried to calm him down but it was no use. Their bedroom door swung open, Lin in a tank top and shorts was all business. When he turned on the light Mai noticed for the first time everything in the room except the bed was floating.

"MAI GET OUT!" Lin yelled.

"WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON!" she screamed staying put.

"I DON'T KNOW! THIS HASN'T HAPPENED SINCE GENE DIED. He's going through some kind of emotional trauma and has lost all control" Lin tried to enter the bedroom but some invisible force sent him stumbling back. "Okay listen to me Mai, he's not letting me in so you have to wake him up and calm him the fuck down.

Before she could try and wake him again Naru sat up, his eyes wide open and he was screaming. Despite his eyes being open Mai knew he wasn't seeing her. She was thrown across the room, hitting the bookshelf so hard she knew she heard a snap in her arm. Despite the burning pain in her bicep she managed to get back to him, grabbing his shoulders and shook him hard.

"OLIVER DAVIS YOU WAKE THE HELL UP RIGHT NOW!" she screamed into his face with no response. She was really freaking out now, his eyes were so hurt, so empty. With a cry of desperation she kissed him, tears rolling down her face, half out of fear and half from the pain in her arm. When he didn't respond she set herself on his lap, locking her arms and legs around him despite his squirming protest. "Naru, your narcissistic asshole, how dare you decide to have a breakdown, we both know that's my thing." She felt him relax a bit and smiled kissing his cheek. "Do you remember the first time you kissed me?" She smiled and kissed him again. "We were in your mother's kitchen; I'm still not sure what came over you. You put me on the counter." She felt his hands go to her waist; to hold her or push her away she didn't know. A few items that had been floating fell to the ground, but not all of them. "Mai, I'm so sorry." He cried into her neck. "I didn't mean to hurt you; I thought you were someone else." The rest of the items came crashing down and Lin all but flew across the room lowering Naru to his back as he passed out.

"An ambulance is on the way Mai, please meet them downstairs and lead them up." He was muttering something in Chinese and checking Naru's pulse. She cradled her arm against her chest and nodded before walking from the apartment.

At the hospital she discovered she had broken her left arm, which was good because she made tea mostly with her right. Other than a few superficial bruises she was fine, and so was Naru. Mostly, the doctors refused to let anyone see him and sent Mai home, where she did nothing but make tea for nobody (out of habit) and read the manga Naru had teased her about. In fact she was wearing one of his shirts and a pair of her jean shorts that came to her knees when she heard keys rattle on the other side. She jumped from her seat in time to see Naru come through the door clearly tired.

"Naru!" she squealed running up to him, careful not to hurt him. Lin was here too.

"I'll wait outside" Lin said closing the door.

"Naru?" she asked watching him push past her.

"Mai we need to talk." When he did face her his eyes focused on her cast. "What I did was inexcusable. I'm putting you in danger just being around you, my brothers case is causing me to lose some of my control and because of this you got hurt. I'm going to stay with Lin for a while, until I can regain my control. Please don't come and see me, don't come to the office either. You'll get your paycheck but I don't want to see you."

"Naru" she said slowly. "What are you…are we….breaking up?"

He looked at her for the first time in weeks, and all she saw were two gorgeous dead eyes.

"This relationship wasn't going anywhere Mai, we were just fooling around, and you knew that. How could I ever have a serious relationship with you?"

Mai walked right up to him and slapped him across the face so hard the crack rang through the entire apartment. "I can't believe you just said that to me. You're a fucking asshole." She hissed poking his chest; he wasn't surprised she hit him. "I gave you everything, YEARS of my life KAZUYA just waiting for you" she spat his name with as much venom as she could. "Then I get one broken arm and all of a sudden, it's open season on Mai's feelings because you think we were just FUCKING AROUND!" she screeched pushing him so he was pressed against a wall. "Well let me tell you something Dr. Davis, something you haven't figured out with that BRILLIANT FUCKING MIND OF YOURS! I. WASN'T. JUST. FOOLING. AROUND. AND. NEITHER. WERE. YOU." Her face had turned red with anger and she was fighting off angry tears. "But just so were clear, Oliver, You won't see me again" The words tumbled out before she could control her tongue. "By tomorrow morning I will be gone, don't bother with your FUCKING PITY CHECK EITHER I WILL GET A NEW JOB!" She slapped him again, so hard she knew his jaw would be red, if not bruised tomorrow. "Yasu will pack up my personal items in my desk and give them back to me." She said calming down some. "You can move back in here tomorrow, my shit will be gone." Without saying another word she grabbed her keys and threw the door open, Lin looked pale as if he were scared. "It was nice working with you Lin-san." She said smiling, a few silent tears rolling down her cheek. She bowed quickly and ran down the hallway, ignoring the elevator and took the stairs.

Lin stood at the door frame staring at Naru, who hadn't moved from the wall. "You didn't have to do that, she would have understood."

"It's for the better Lin" he shot coldly. "She'll live longer without me"

"Or she'll get hurt sooner, we can protect her better than anyone and you know it."

"CAN WE?" he screamed grabbing a lamp and throwing it across the room. "I BROKE HER FUCKING ARM BECAUSE I COULDN'T TELL REALITY FROM ILLUSION! WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I BREAK HER NECK!"

Lin grabbed his shirt collar and slammed him up against the wall. "In a few days, when you regain all your self-control, you will regret what you just did to her. It will eat away at you until depression is all but a happy memory. I know you Oliver, don't ever forget that. But it's too late, only you can fix what you just did, and no shitty 'I'm sorry' is going to do it this time. Mai may have a habit of bouncing back from your teasing and rudeness, but you just flayed her heart, sent it through a wood chipper and lit the remains on fire. Then you kept the pieces for yourself so she can't heal."

"It's a first love for her, she'll get over it" Naru said, almost trying to convince himself. Surly she could heal.

"No it wasn't, not for her and not for you either Kazuya. You will never find someone like Mai that accepts every part of you and loves you anyway. Because no one except Mai could ever understand what you went through. Don't you dare forget all the shit she went through before she joined SPR." He let Naru go and sighed taking a step back. "Don't forget all the shit she went through just to get close to you."

Naru threw a fist into the wall behind him, braking through the plaster.

"Yea, you should feel like shit" Lin said. "Now come on."


	17. Ultimate Sacrifice, part 2

Just as she promised, the next morning all of her personal items were gone from their…..his apartment. Naru searched through all of her drawers, dirty laundry and dishes just to find one small remnant of her presence in his life, the impact she had. All he could find was the shirt she had worn last night when she hit him and her very faint scent that lingered.

When he arrived to the office the next day, he noticed Mai's desk was clear and Yasu wasn't speaking to him in his normal creepy flirty manner. He sulked through the front office and into his own office, a small box and a note graced his presence, it was from Mai.

-I bought this for you before our fight, obviously. I have no use for it, I don't want it. So you might as well have it anyway.

-M

He opened the box gingerly, inside was a new tea cup and saucer. He held it carefully examining it. It was a plain black mug with white lettering. 'Naru'

Lin opened the door then and leaned against the frame. "She got one for everyone, Masako, John, Yasu, Ayako, Monk, Madoka, herself, me and you"

"Are you trying to make me feel worse? I did what I had to, to keep her safe."

"Well I hope you still feel that way now that she's out of your life."

-with Mai—

Mai had spent the last few hours unloading all of her things into an apartment as far away from SPR and as cheap as she could get it. It was on the ninth floor of the building, and had four rooms, bedroom, bathroom, living room and a kitchen with a small counter to eat at. She had no furniture so she slept on the floor.

-One week later-

Naru had been drinking a lot lately, in fact he was rarely sober except for those rare moments (like now) when he had just gotten home from work and had just cracked open the first bottle of whisky, a taste he had only acquired for the after effect of not caring and forgetting. He was pouring his second glass when he heard a light knock at the door. He half stumbled across the apartment in his work shirt and pants, though none of his cloths were tucked in and his tie hung half undone. He whipped open the door faster than he had meant to, it was Mai. He let his eyes rake over her every aspect, she was sad like he was. She was wearing shorts and a t-shirt of the same light blue. She wore those super high socks that crawled up her thighs stopping just shy of her shorts end and a pair of sneakers. Her hair was brushed and her face held no makeup. She was tired, and he could tell she had been crying earlier.

"Mai" he whispered closing his eyes and leaning his head against the door.

"Have you been drinking?" She asked quietly, she didn't know how to act right now.

"Why are you here?" he asked ignoring the question.

"I accidently packed some of your things" she said holding up a box in her hands. Inside he saw a few shirts, none that he had missed. A couple books for learning English and a few framed photos of them when they were still together, they were turned down. He held the door open and she slipped under his arm glancing around the apartment, empty whisky and scotch bottles everywhere. "Nar…Kazuya did you drink a liquor store?" she set the box on the couch and took a handful of bottles, including the one he had just opened and started to pour them down the drain.

"MAI!" he shouted, though he was only half in it. He snatched the bottles from her hands. "What do you want? Why are you here?"

She gripped the ends of the counter letting her hair mask her face. "I heard about the verdict, she's been convicted and I felt I should stop by at least. I know you won't talk to anyone about what's happening Kazuya but you have to talk to someone." She whipped around and yanked the bottles back and poured the remnants out. "You can't just drink your life away!"

"WHAT ELSE AM I SUPPOSED TO DO!" he yelled watching her fill his trash can with empty bottles, tie off the bag and fill another trash bag. He really had been drinking a lot.

"LET SOMEBODY IN OLIVER!" she screamed whipping around tears filling her eyes like a well. "ANYBODY! YOU LET ME IN ONCE LET SOMEBODY ELSE IN, LIN, MADOKA, YOUR PARENTS PEOPLE CARE ABOUT YOU! YOU CAN'T JUST DECIDE YOUR LIFE IS OVER!"

"Yes I can, and I did last week Mai. I decided all I could do was hurt people." His whisper was hoarse. "She was one of the few people I ever wanted to hurt, Carol." His voice spat the woman's name with so much hatred it made Hitler look like a candy gram. "But I didn't just hurt her, I hurt you."

"NO SHIT!" She screamed throwing her hands in the air. "YOU BROKE MY HEART NARU! THAT HURT MORE THAN ANY BROKEN BONE!" She was crying now frantically searching for words. "It wasn't just fooling around to me Naru, I gave myself to you in every way I could. WHAT DID I DO WRONG!" she demanded slamming her hands on the counter in front of her.

"NOTHING, YOU DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WRONG MAI! I'M THE ONE WHO FUCKED UP! CAN'T YOU SEE THAT!" he grabbed her shoulders and made her look at him. "I broke your arm because I couldn't control myself…"

"That's a shitty reason and you know it." She said grabbing her keys.

"A SHITTY REASON!" he cried in disbelief when she pushed him away. "WHAT IF IT HAD BEEN YOUR NECK!" he yelled.

She looked at him dead in the eyes and spoke as calmly as she could. "It would have been no skin off your back, we were just fooling around, remember." She ran from the apartment then, leaving Naru in a state of self-hatred and depression so thick he didn't know if he could breathe.


	18. Ultimate Sacrifice, part 3

Another week had past, which means it had been almost three weeks since their breakup and Naru couldn't handle it anymore and he hated it. He used to be fine on his own, he used to like being on his own even when Gene was alive, but now. Being apart from Mai was almost unbearable. With that in mind Naru decided he had to see her.

-With Mai—

Mai was making tea when a knock at the door pulled her from her daze, without even waiting the door opened and Naru stepped through. He arrived in his usual black pants, shirt, over coat and scarf. She sighed inwardly, she loved his scarf. In fact this outfit was one she helped him pick out. She on the other hand was wearing a long yellow shirt with jean shorts that stopped at her knees. Her hair was tied up and she was sweating from all the moving she had been doing around her 'dingy' (at best) apartment.

"Mai I need to talk to you!" he declared running a hand through his hair, examining her face, then her apartment around him.

Mai stood there confused, but said nothing. Was this asshole really breaking in to her apartment?

"You know I'm not good with words, I mean I know a lot of words and my vocabulary is rather large. I have a doctorate after all…..but what I mean is I can't put them together in a way that would describe how I feel for you accurately." He looked up at her hoping she understood him, she wasn't quite where he was as far as understanding.

"Sit down, I'll make tea" she said quietly turning her back to him.

He took the seat at the counter across from her. "I know what I said was inexcusable. I said awful, horrific things to you and I can never take them back. I was never 'fooling' around with you Mai; I don't know why I had to say that to you." He took the tea she offered gratefully but didn't comment when she turned her back to him again, he had been going weeks without it cold turkey. "But as awful as I am with words that involve emotions, I'm even worse off with love." Suddenly Mai noticed he became very quiet and stared at the reflection in his tea cup. "I never thought I would feel love Mai, not after Gene especially. My life's mission was to find him bring him home and bring his killer to justice. But then I came to Japan, I met you and it became so much more than that. Suddenly I had to keep you safe too, take any harmful variables around you and destroy them. When I found out that teacher, touched you I wanted to burn down the entire school with him in it, damned the consequences. The thought of no one being here to protect you is why I came back. I didn't come back because Japan's ghosts are more violent, though they are. I came back for an excuse to see you every day, I came back for my own selfish reasons that I can't even begin to understand myself."

He looked up from his empty tea cup, she was staring at his reflection in the window in front of her but her eyes seemed far off.

"After I hurt you I realized you were in more danger with me than without me, that's why I did the things I did, said those awful things. Mai I'm more ashamed than you could ever imagine and if the miracle of you forgiving me is something I can work for then I want to work for it the rest of my life. There is no one on this earth that is made for me more perfectly than you are."

"Mai look at me" he begged getting to his feet. He maneuvered around the counter until he was inches from her, the closest he'd been in weeks. When she did look at him he caught her chin and touched their foreheads together. "I know my faults; I can me cruel, arrogant, a pain in the ass and a real narcissist. I'm jealous of how easily everyone returns your affections, because there are no words I could say, or number of things I could do to describe how I feel about you. I know to you I'm just a child in a man's body, but I want to grow up and get myself together for you Mai. I want to be a man worth your love, because one day Mai, one day I'm going to be deserving of your love."

The kiss between them started out sweet, it was soft, testing. To see if Mai could forgive him, but weeks apart burned behind them and the kiss tunred desperate. They grabbed at each other desperatly yanking at eachothers cloths until there were none left. He trailed kisses down her neck, nipping at her collar bone.

"Bedroom" she gasped running her hands through his hair.

"No, time" his voice was a low growl, he was not going to waste time carrying her somewhere, he'd waited to long.

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Don't forget to Review (and if your lost i posted like three chapters all at once so just go back XD, PLEASE REVIEW)


	19. American Honey, part 1

**So A LOT of drama has been thrown down in the SPR house recently, so I thought Hey, let's get out of the dark and gloomy. Lighten this place up a little, but not to light. Think of this insert as a pleasant disguise. Like a piñata filled with bees, not to be taken lightly.**

**Also, this being my 19****th****chapter I realize how little I've talked to you guys at all. So here's some interesting things to know about me, that way we can connect on a deeper level. **

**So, I recently turned 18 and I will be starting my senior year of high school. (for those of you who don't use the same schooling levels as America it's my last year in school before I apply for a college) The first anime/manga I ever read/watched was 'InuYasha' (HAIL THE GATEWAY ANIME) Though I never got to finish the series, I left off about 9 years ago, they had ALMOST completed the jewel. It's not on Netflix.**

**Other than InuYasha and Ghost Hunt I've watched, Vampire Knight (she should be with Zero) Okami-san AND Blood+ (LIKE OH MY GOD WHERE IS HAGI I LOVE HIM SO MUCH)**

* * *

The next morning Naru woke in an unfamiliar kitchen, on the floor, with a very familiar women in his arms. He smiled and pressed his face to the back of her neck, inhaling her cherry blossom shampoo.

"What are you doing?" she mumbled shifting under the fabric of his over coat, which had been turned into a temporary blanket for her.

"Selfishly indulging myself." he mumbled kissing her shoulder blades lightly. She smiled and rolled to her back and kissed him smiling.

"Feel free to indulge further." Before he could his phone went off. He reached into the coat pocket and answered it quickly.

"What?" He was clearly angry at being interrupted.

"Where are you?" Lin's smirk could be heard through the phone. "You're two hours late."

"I…..uh…"

Mai smiled and took his phone before Naru could stop her. "Morning Lin, we'll be there as soon as we can."

"Good morning Mai, we're out of tea as well." Lin said before clicking the phone off.

When they arrived to the office Lin and Yasu were waiting in the front office waiting with smiles on their faces. Mai blushed furiously and stormed right past them with the tea. Naru thanked himself silently that he hadn't had the rest of SPR over so they never knew Mai had been gone for almost three weeks. Only Yasu and Lin knew, and they were sworn to secrecy.

Naru said nothing while he took off his coat and scarf (yes the ones he wore yesterday)

"OOOhhhhh big boss and boss boss, both on a walk of shame through the office" Yasu sang jumping from the couch as Lin rolled his eyes.

Naru glared and shut his office door biting back his tongue. He glanced around the office seeing strewn liquor bottles Naru raced through his office trying to throw them away before Mai found them, he didn't want her to see them, though he could already feel her presence and smell the tea. She shut the door quietly before helping him with the bottles.

"Is this because of me?" she asked quietly, she felt so stupid asking.

Naru finished cleaning up his office and sipped his tea gladly. "No Mai, everything that happened was because of me. I was depressed because I had to give you up." She came up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist, settling her cheek against the curve of his spine.

"Are you going to stop drinking?"

He chuckled softly and pressed his hands to hers. "Mai, you are the only drug I need."

He could feel the heat of her blush drifting thought his two day worn silk shirt and he sighed inwardly, being able to effect someone so easily, at a whim was almost a dream for him. He still couldn't believe she had chosen him over Gene, the odds, the chances of that had always seemed impossible. He turned around to face Mai in her embrace. "I want you to go away with me" he murmured against her hair line. "After everything that's happened, I want time for just us with no near death experiences, on your part and no misunderstandings from me. We can go anywhere you want, just name it."

She looked up at him with a flare of hope in her shining cinnamon eyes. "Do you mean that? Anywhere?"

"Any country, any continent just say the word." He whispered, so eager to please her.

"I want to go to America" she said quickly, eying for his response.

"Why America?"

"My dad's family lives there, I was going through some old boxes and I found out he had some relatives back home that are still alive."

"Your dad was an American?" he asked curiously playing with the tips of her hair.

"Naru" she said giggling. "How many Japanese people do you know with brown hair and brown eyes. Yea they're out there but come ON! My dad was stationed at an American military base, that's how my parents met. She was a waitress at one of the bars the service men went to."

"But isn't Taniyama a Japanese name?" he countered

"My father was an American Naru, just accept it. Just because you're English doesn't mean you're not Japanese too. His family immigrated."

"If you want to go to America Mai I will take you." He said touching their foreheads together lightly. "We'll make plans and leave tomorrow."

"What about Lin?" Mai asked fiddling with the collar of his shirt.

He smirked knowingly and swept her up in a kiss, "It doesn't matter"

-Meanwhile in the depths of Lin's nerd lair—(And yes, I say that with the upmost affection)

Lin woke up, sun streaming through his curtain blinds making the Chinaman cringe away. As his senses took over his sleepy body he was self-informed of three things. 1, this was not his bed. 2, he was naked and 3, a very familiar puff of dyed hair was attached to an equally familiar woman, who was also naked.

"Up again so early Lin?" she purred into his neck, lashing out with playful bites.

"Madoka" he grumbled as realization hit, he remembered last night, he remembered trying to wittingly escape her siren calls, and he remembered bringing her home, in all his shame. Well not that much shame, he'd wanted to do this for some time, if only he could remember most of it.

* * *

_Just remember, bee's. (if you don't understand that refrence scroll back up to the bold._


	20. Not so American Honey, part 2

Once again Mai was pleased to find herself boarding an airplane. The last time she boarded one she came home with Naru's heart. This time, who knows what she would bring home, she was excited to find out. Just like last time Naru booked them first class tickets and she was rewarded with a window seat. The flight was long; Naru spent most of his time with his hand on her knee while he slept. Mai however, for the first time in her life couldn't sleep. She was so worried, so anxious about what her newfound family would say. She hadn't even had time to contact them she was just going to show up.

-With Naru, in dreamland—

Naru's dreams were filled with one thing like always, Mai. He'd been back from England for almost a year now and Mai had grown so much, physically. She was still a clumsy, emotional danger magnet. She hadn't grown taller either, and he liked that honestly. He liked how her head always fit perfectly under his chin, or when they slept in the same bed her body fitted to his like puzzle pieces.

In his dream her image shimmered and disappeared. He looked around confused before finding a smirk he found all too familiar.

"Gene"

"IT'S ABOUT DAMN TIME TOO!" he yelled grinning before pulling his brother into a strong hug. "I've missed you so damn much"

"But how!" he asked still hugging him. "I thought only Mai could see you?"

"Well aren't things funny?" Gene said chuckling. "My spirit is attached to you bro, she could only see me because you were close by. When you left for England, so did I. the only reason you're seeing me now is because YOU are asleep and touching Mai at the same time. Think of your hand like an extension cord. I'm using her as an amplifier and there by violating your dreams of Mai." He grinned again.

"But, we've been asleep before, why now and not then."

Gene chuckled and punched his brother's arm playfully. "I was not about to interrupt your sex dreams about our precious little Mai! Plus most of the time when you guys shared a bed you had just had sex. So no thank you this is the most innocent time I could schedule with you."

Naru stiffened, precious Mai?

"Before you say it, no" Gene said seriously. "I don't feel like that with Mai, I only contacted her in the first place to get to you. I could tell right away she was your type, even if you didn't know it. I do carry certain affection for her, like Lin. She's more of a sister or a good friend. She sees me the same way" he confirmed before smiling at his brother. "You're waking up now" he noted, Naru felt it to someone was shaking him. "I love you" then he was gone.

Naru lifted his eyes groggily to find Mai standing beside him, the plane had landed.

"I know that face" she sat down again. "Did you see him?"

Naru smiled sleepily and nodded. "Yea, yea I did"

She squeezed his hand and kissed him lightly. "Good, I was wondering when it would happen. It was hard to believe the great Davis twins couldn't figure out some method of communication. I'm glad to see I was right."

They exited the plane with Naru in a haze of wonder; it had been so long since he'd seen his beloved brother. It was like a dream come true, literally. They both cringed at the sight of New York (no offense if any New Yorker's are reading). It was so busy and loud, yes Japan was also buys and loud but somehow this was just different.

They piled into a cab hurriedly to get away from the crowds of crazy airplane people and into the streets of the city. The cabbie drove them straight to a hotel Naru had made reservations at, which was almost deserted due to the late hour. They checked in quickly and Naru smiled when they stood alone in the elevator and swept her up into a loving kiss that only lasted 3 floors until the door dinged open and they exited.

-Just a wee time skip—

Three days had passed and Mai had finally found her father's sister Maya, the English version of her name. She busted from the hallway into the room where Naru sat doing his office work.

"NAAAARUUUUUU" she sang setting herself on top of his lap without his permission, though he didn't seem to mind. "You know what this is?" she asked rhetorically. "This is a letter my father received shortly before my parents wedding, and do you see this? That's a return address, I checked, she still lives there." She kissed Naru furiously letting her joy cascade from her lips and he smirked.

"You must be very happy."

"Of course I am!" she squealed jumping from his lap. "I'm not alone anymore"

He took her hands and pulled her towards him, pressing his cheek to her stomach with his arms around her waist. "You were never alone Mai, you have me, Lin, Ayako, Bou-san, John and even Masako."

She stroked his hair and smiled. "I know that, but it's different you know? I never knew my dad, not really."

He kissed her cheek and stood grabbing his coat. "Then let's go meet your Aunt."

The taxi cab ride was short and it wasn't long until they were in a VERY different side of New York, she glanced over and saw Naru smirking. "Lin is going to flip out."

"Why?" she asked eagerly.

"Mai, we're in Chinatown."

"But I'm Japanese." She said slowly.

"Are you?"

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REVIEW YOUR HEARTS AWAY!


	21. Not so American Honey, part 3

They came to a small tea shop and Mai could feel Naru's smirk. The building was small by any standards and like most of China town it was painted in bright red and decorated with images of dragons or luck cats.

"So this is where you get it from." He said grinning. "Maybe it was destiny I found you."

"Or maybe it was your narcissist attitude, no it was because all British people have an addiction to tea Naru. How many brain cells did you lose?"

"I'm Japanese." He pointed out quickly

"So am I, but you were raised in England which makes you more English I think."

"I'm more Japanese than you are." He said throwing his hands around. "Don't insult my people."

"Well if Japan is 'your people' then that means Lin is playing for MY team!" she declared smiling. "Now who's on the short end of the stick?"

She punched him in the chest smiling and pushed her way into the shop.

"Hello!" a cheery voice said from behind the counter. "How may I help you?" The woman looked almost 70 years old, she was short like Mai was and had the same dark brown eyes. Her skin was as frail as her silvery hair but her smile didn't seem genuine, it reminded her of the same smile Naru gave when they first met at school when she was telling ghost stories with her friends.

"Hi, I'm looking for a Maya Sheng." She stumbled through the pronunciation which revealed her Japanese accent

"That's me" she said slowly, not even a fake smile was present. Mai looked at the woman and smiled warmly, surly the woman wasn't racist.

"Did you know someone named Lucas?" She stated moving in front of the lady across the counter.

The woman froze and looked at the girl. "Are you Mai?"

"Yes"

The older woman looked at Mai with nothing that resembled love, affection or even joy. "Get out, I don't serve Japanese."

Mai took a step back. "Are you my grandmother? I thought this letter was addressed to my dad's sister"

"All dead, now get out!" the woman cried from behind the counter.

"No!" she yelled slamming the counter with her hands. "Are you my grandmother?"

"I disowned your father long time ago. Marry Japanese is very bad luck, now look what happened. He's dead, your mother is dead."

"You knew I was an orphan and made no attempt to contact me?" Mai cried with hot tears behind her eyes.

The woman leaned in real close with hateful eyes. "I. Don't. Serve. Japanese."

Mai stood there frozen, if it wasn't for Naru leading her away she would have stood there all day.

"Can you believe that?" she whispered on the sidewalk. Her face was pressed against his chest. "She….she didn't even want me"

He stroked her hair and kissed her head. "It's alright Mai."

"Is there something wrong with me?" she cried pushing him away. "My own grandmother is choosing racism over her blood. Isn't that against some kind of Chinese law?"

"Mai, it's alright." he whispered kissing her fiercely. "That old hag is no more your family that she was before you found her. Blood doesn't make family, love does. SPR is your family Mai, we want you, I want you."

"You say that now" she whispered. "But what happens the next time we fight and you realize I'm not what you wanted!" she was yelling now.

"You could never be any less than perfect to me Mai" he cupped her face gently making her look at him. "I'm the one who doesn't deserve your love, and neither does that woman in there. She may be blood but she's not family."

(Supernatural reference shout out)

Mai nodded and let him kiss her tears away, she had been so hopeful but now everything was falling apart. "Let's go home, I don't want to be here" she whispered.

"I'll try and change our tickets as soon as I can" he smiled. "I can't wait until Lin finds out. That man may even smile"

Mai smiled softly against his silk shirt. "Maybe he'll let me meet his siblings."

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I hope you review this story and follow me to my NEXT GHOST HUNT FANFIC, which I will be posting shortly. I don't know what i'll be calling it so i guess this doesnt help much now does it? I've discovered i write Ghost Hunt fanfics better than any other so im going to splurge a bit. HAPPY HUNTING


	22. Nothing to fear but fear itself, part 1

Dear Readers

Let me take a moment to set a few things straight, specifically **Naruisawesome**, when it comes to Mai's father. He is an American born China man. He only pretended to be Japanese (by using his lovely wife's maiden name) so that people wouldn't target Mai for cruelty. You know because of racism. So no he is NOT Japanese. However Mai's mother was which makes Mai, half Japanese, one quarter Chinese and one quarter American. Question answered?

And to my dear ILoveanimex, no that comment was not taken too far I was thinking nearly the exact same thing when I created that hag.

-Also, I truly enjoy having such an impact on everyone's reading experience.—

Sincerely, Kennygirlgreen

It had been about a week since they returned to Japan; Lin didn't take Mai's news as enthusiastically as she had wished but she did get a smile. But since they were back in Japan it was BACK TO WORK as far as Naru was concerned, in fact they were on their way to a case right now.

Mai sat in the back seat next to Naru who was reading a case file while holding her hand, to anyone else it was a mild sign of affection, but to those who knew Naru they knew that when Naru held Mai's hand what it really meant was 'I am willing to slaughter all who come near her'.

She rested her head on his shoulder and read the file quietly. "So what's happening boss?" she asked after minute of realizing she couldn't read English.

"Well, the family has been experiencing odd phenomena over the last few months that has escalated rapidly within the last few days. The spirit has been forcing it's victims into a coma like state."

Mai shivered involuntarily and he squeezed her hand gently. "But why is Madoka here?" she asked glancing up at Lin who only jerked his head to attention "What?"

A tuff of pink hair appeared from the trunk. "Thanks for waiting Mai" she crawled over into the back seat and then worked her way to the passenger seat, sneaking a kiss onto Lin's cheek before sitting down happily.

"MADOKA!" Lin demanded trying to pay attention to the road.

"Mai said you were going onto a case and I've nothing to do Lin-Lin, oh please I promise to be good!" she pleaded batting her eyes.

Lin groaned inwardly, never being able to refuse Madoka anything.

They arrived to a rather large two story white house that sat right off the side to a large lake. The rest of SPR was already inside. A woman, her husband and three small children sat on the couch inside. They all looked remarkably tired. The husband was the first to speak. "While you attend to your investigation my family and I will be moving into town for a while, until you are done."

"Well, if this turns out to be a poltergeist, there is a chance it will follow you." Naru said with little interest.

"If it does then we will return" The husband ensure, sparing a glance to their packed bags. The family stood as a unit and briskly left the mansion. "Make use of whatever you want, I don't care what gets damaged. Just fix my house." The husband said before closing the door behind him.

"Isn't it odd for a client to be so forth coming?" Mai asked standing from the couch.

Lin nodded shifting the weight of his bags. "But Mr. Hujiko was the first to experience the phenomena of the spirit so it would stand to reason he would want to leave.

"Is the spirit targeting anyone specific?" Mai asked helping Monk and Ayako clear the dining table for 'base'.

"Yes and no" Lin said as Mai began setting up shelves, Naru and John bringing in monitors. "The spirit prefers those who have suffered to those who have had it easy. It targets victims who have experienced pain in their life, true hardships."

"Ahhhh, so like Harry Potter?" Mai said proudly, it was no secret she liked to read and she loved the Harry Potter series.

Lin nodded. "This makes you a specific target." Naru said entering with the last of the monitors.

"We've all had crap handouts!" Mai countered, she didn't want to bring up Gene's accident specifically. But Naru was as much of a target as she was.

"Not necessarily." Naru said crossing his arms. "I've don't a background check on everyone here Mai. Even without your ability to attract danger and your physic skills you would still be a target. More than any of us you WILL attract the ghost, and most likely become the object of its torment here." He said ending the sentence dryly.

"But how do we know the spirit isn't attacking people that have experienced certain traumas?" Mai said quick witted, the surprised and realization flashed over Naru's eyes, though they were hidden behind his bangs.

"Very good, it seems you're learning something, Madoka why don't you go and catch the family and ask the husband specifically about his experience. John and Masako take the top floor, Monk and Ayako ground floor. Mai, tea"

She rolled her eyes as usual and she slipped into the kitchen that was just off of the dining room / base. When she returned Naru took the tea and sipped it immediately. Mai's eyes fluttered for a moment and she realized how tired she was. Without any other words, Lin and Naru were staring at the monitors. She slipped into the living room, the second she hit the couch she was out.

-About 15 minutes later-

The rest of SPR had finally come back to base, when it began. Naru was the first to look off, sensing something was off. Mai stood before then, but not the real Mai. He glanced at her sleeping figure back to the one that seemed to glow blue slightly.

"Lin" he demanded standing up.

Lin and the rest of SPR looked up confused.

"Should we be exorcising something?" Bou-san asked confused as everyone stood. "Or should we be running."

"This is Mai, she's astral projecting." Masako said from behind her sleeve, if anyone she would know.

Lin nodded in agreement. "But it seems she doesn't know she's doing it, she can't see us she see's something else." Lin said glancing at the body. "Look, she's not even wearing the same cloths, which means this is a memory not a vision."

"Who's there" The astral Mai whimpered. Before SPR knew it the scene around them changed and they were in a room, Ayako and Masako were sleeping and Mai was being pulled from her bed by two men.

She screamed bloody murder and Naru's heart clenched; she shouldn't have to live this twice!

"Ayako! Masako! Someone WAKE UP!" she screeched as the men drug her out the door. "Monk! JOHN! NARU! LIN!...SOMEBODY" she cried as they passed the boys room, no one answered. She kept pulling on the men's arms trying to get away but they were so strong, too strong.

Then they were watching her being pulled through a maze, an old maze no longer growing.

"I don't want to go in there!" she screamed trying to yank her arms away. "It's not safe in there!" she screamed again violently jerking away. The men didn't react and SPR watched in horror as she was pulled up the stairs, through the corridors to the room were Urado awaited. The room was, worse than they remember, her dream was worse than she had ever described.

The men ripped at her cloths and she screamed, revealing a white kimono. They slammed her onto the tile table and began strapping her down, the force broke skin at the back of her neck.

"I DON'T WANT TO DIE!" a raspy voice said from the blood filled bathtub.

Mai looked around frantically trying to place the voice to no avail. The assistant grabbed her hair and yanked her head back so hard more tears forced their way to the surface.

No one wanted to watch, but no one could look away from their precious little Mai.

The knife slipped across her neck in one fluid motion and her screaming stopped, in its place came gurgled gasps as Mai tried to regain the oxygen that had been taken from her.

Her body convulsed on the table and blood poured down her neck, streaming across her face, soaking her hair until it began to drip into a bucket placed beneath her. They watched her as she struggled to her last breath. Then the vision was gone. No one spoke or dared move watching Mai.

Monk yelled furiously. "WHY ISNT SHE AWAKE!"


	23. Nothing to fear but fear itself, part 2

Since it's been brought to my attention, let me again clear away confusion XD. I know you can't be like 1/4th American, I myself am an American. But I'm sure most know that most American born citizens are made up from over a dozen nationalities, if you looked at my nationality I'm mostly Polish but I look like my Scottish background. So when I say Mai is 1/4th American I mean that I just don't want to break everything down into 1/16th and what not. Question answered?

Naru knelt by her side and touched her cheek Lin spoke up.  
"Didn't the owners say that the ghost trapped it's victims in a coma like state for 12 hours? If that's at all accurate then she should wake up in about" he glanced at the clock. "She should be up by breakfast."  
"You heard him" Naru said standing. "Ayako makes charms for everyone so they can sleep, now" he snapped in her direction. She nodded pulling out the necessary items as Monk settled next to her. After a few minutes Mai's astral plane figure appeared before them again. Mai stood before them in her school uniform; she was in a room, just standing. Naru was sure he was the only one who saw the tear before she wiped it away nonchalantly. She looked so alone as a man appeared beside her. Naru clenched his fists as his heart realized who this man must have been. The man had no face, Mai probably blocked it out. The vision in front of them blurred like they were looking for water, it wasn't clear what he was doing to her but they all put the pieces together from her screams.  
Her awful, heart wrenching screams that nearly brought Naru to his knees. When it stopped she was curled into a ball pressing her head to the ground sobbing.  
He glanced at Mai's sleeping figure, noticing tears streaking down the sides of her face. He maneuvered her body so he sat with her head against a pillow on his lap, he stroked her hair silently refusing to hear the crying Mai, he couldn't bare it.  
He'd heard her cry before, but not like that. When Ayako finished she handed each member a charm and Naru slipped it into Mai's hand. "Everyone, go to your rooms, the ghost has only taken one victim at a time so until Mai gets up this is all the sleep were going to get."  
"What about"  
"I'll stay with her" Naru said cutting Bou-san off. "Maybe that's not a good idea" Ayako said.  
Naru shot glares at each one of them. "Mai has entrusted to me many things about her past, many I'm sure she will relive here tonight. She may not want anyone else to see them." He stroked her hair softly and John spoke up.  
"He's right, if I were in his position I would insist upon the same thing. If Mai has trusted him with her secrets, we've seen too much already, it's not our place."  
From nowhere Lin set a cup of tea next to Naru and began to usher out the team. Just as the doors shut, leaving Naru and Mai alone her figure appeared again, in a place he knew all too well.  
'Me or Gene?' the question rang in his head as the scene played out in front of him, was this really one of her most awful memories? Was it so bad that this was paired up with her being molested and murdered? The thought made him shutter and he placed a kiss on her knuckles.  
"Oh, Mai, I'm so sorry" he whispered kissing her hand again. "I'll make it up to you, I swear" -morning—  
By the time morning rolled around, the things he had seen. Naru was so sick with himself he could throw up. All these things, he couldn't protect Mai from a single one of them, he was so useless to her unless he was getting her hurt. When her eyes fluttered open he let a cry of disbelief, joy and relief wash over him as he captured her lips, tasting her salty tears.  
"Mai" he whispered. "You were unconscious, it was awful" he whispered between kisses. She looked up at him, stroking his cheek as the memories crashed down on her.  
"You astral projected everything, I saw it all" he whispered pressing his forehead to hers. "The others?"  
"They left after the Urado case, I stayed." He lied; he didn't want her to know they saw the molesting. "Oh Oliver" she whispered throwing her arms around his neck.  
He kissed her cheek and neck as he pulled her into his lap, the rest of SPR chose this time to enter the room. "MY BABY!" Monk cried turning Naru and Mai's sweet embrace into a group hug. "I was so worried!" he cried tears running freely.  
"BOU-SAN GET OFF OF ME!" Naru snapped, he released the great Oliver Davis freely but kept Mai to himself as he whisked her into the air, holding her against Ayako as they made a Mai sandwich. John and even Masako joined in after a moment of smiling.  
"I've informed her you all left directly after the Urado vision" Naru said getting his point across, thankfully they all comprehended easily. When Lin appeared at the doorway Mai smiled at him and he ruffled her hair before sitting at his computer. After a moment they let Mai to her feet. "Tea anyone?" she asked smiling and wiping away tears they all nodded eagerly and she slipped away to the kitchen. When Mai returned SPR was silent as everyone took an eager sip of her tea.  
"Mai, how did you learn to make tea so good?" Ayako asked letting the steam wrap around her face.  
"I make my own blends" she said grinning evilly. "How else can I ensure I have a job?"  
"What do you mean?" Naru asked with a twitching eyebrow.  
"Have you ever looked in the tea cabinet in the office?" Mai asked putting her hands on her hips. "You're not drinking Grey Earl right now, it's mostly Grey Earl but there are other mixes in there. That's why no matter how hard you try you will never be able to replicate my tea." She smiled at Ayako. "That's job insurance" Naru stared at his tea cup and realized she was right, he lived for this tea…well and Mai but before Mai there was only tea. He noticed it was different then Grey Earl but he liked the different flavors, he thought she just added a different cream. He sighed finishing his cup and pinching his nose.


	24. Nothin to fear but fear itself, part 3

14Amychan – Yea, something about the way I pasted it onto the Doc manager was funky. I don't know what happened.

After a few minutes of silence and tea drinking loud bang from down the hall pulled the group to their feet. They fled down the hall to find a large black cloud awaiting them. Behind the cloud a dark figure stood though his features were hidden, except his ember eyes. He looked like a magician showing off a few parlor tricks.

Immediately Mai was lifted from her feet and thrown across the room into Monk arms who caught her easily, though he stumbled.

"Bou-san!" Naru demanded pulling Mai away.

The Monk nodded and began to chant. As he spoke each word the shadow would flinch as if something was being thrown at him but the figure remained.

"Forgetting someone are we?" His voice was deep and echoed inside Mai's mind, when she looked around she realized it had been just her.

"Oh my god" she whispered. "Where's John?"

No one seemed to hear her as she turned and ripped down the hallways. When she arrived at base John was lying on his back, a face of terror and fear frozen on his face around his open eyes that seemed like they didn't want to watch the invisible memory playing before him. She pulled his head onto a pillow from the couch as the rest of SPR burst into the room.

"Oh my god, John!" Ayako yelled. "His face" she whispered turning away into Monk's arms.

"Mai," Lin stated letting her fill in the rest.

"I can help him" she said going through his pockets. "I can project myself into his dreams; maybe I can shatter the illusion and bring him out."

"What if you get stuck in there?" Monk asked stroking Ayako's back.

"I've done it before a few times, I just need something personal" she pulled out John's wallet, inside a small picture of him as a child with another woman, his sister most likely. She placed the picture between her hand and John's as she intertwined their fingers and lay down next to him. Naru didn't even have time to protest before she was gone; an odd white substance filled her eyes. It scared him.

-In John's Dream-

_Mai was suddenly transported into a western style room; outside the window was a marvelous view of the ocean. She glanced around, John was beside her, and he hadn't even noticed her arrival. She took his hand and squeezed it his eyes shot in her direction, he laughed solemnly. _

_"__It seems as if I've gotten myself into trouble again, haven't I Mai?"_

_She smiled sadly. "I am going to see if I can spring you from here, no matter what though. Do not let go of my hand." She warned. He nodded gripping her hand tighter. _

_"__Where are we John?" she asked. _

_"__My sister Mary's room, I'm about 13 now." He said looking around sadly. "I've just arrived home…she's"_

_Mai already saw it, the blond wavy curls of a girl who loved the sun, the fair skin of someone who had no cares, the blood of her depression soaking the carpet around her as it flowed from her wrists. A younger image of John was kneeling in her blood shaking his sister desperately, screaming for someone to help, anybody. His white tennis shoes and khaki shorts were blood stained beyond any cloth washing miracle could fix. Forever stained with the last moment of his sister's life. _

_"__She killed herself, I never knew why." John whispered looking at Mai. "I thought if I got closer to god I would understand, but I just feel more lost than ever." Mai smiled gently and embraced him, stroking his hair gently_

_"__Death isn't meant to be understood, it's meant to be felt." She released him and turned back as the scene faded they came to her astral plane, a darkness filled with balls of lights. "John look!" she said smiling touching a ball of light. "These are souls"_

_His eyes were wide with awe and…wonder? "Mai, it's beautiful here."_

_"__I'm glad you think so John, instead of reliving your memories we can just stay here until the time runs out, okay?"_

_"__Thank you." He said squeezing her hand._

_"__And who's this?"_

_She turned and sighed, really? He had to show up. "Gene, meet my friend John."_

_"__The priest?" he asked leaning in. "It's a pleasure to meet you!" he shook John's free hand._

_"__Gene as in?"_

_"__My spirit guide/Naru impersonator/ Naru's twin brother." Mai said sighing_

_"__Isn't it odd though? How Mai fell in love with the evil twin? When does that EVER happen! I mean come on! Everything Naru's got going for him I've got too! PLUS IMMORTALITY!...well kind of. My body technically will never age….im not bitter." He chuckled and slapped Johns back. "I'm just kidding don't look so uncomfortable, being a ghost, you don't feel those kinds of things, I care about Mai, like I care about Naru. But I'm not in love with either of them, though I'm sure Noll would beg to differ, I mean who could resist this face" he did his best impression of the 'smolder' and Mai just laughed_

_"Well it's time for you two to go." Gene said touching their heads. "Tell that idiot scientist to be careful, the spirits have him lined up next."_

_With that Gene gave a gentle shove and they were slammed back into their bodies._


	25. Nothing to fear but fear itself, part 4

Mai's eyes flickered open a second before Johns. Base was dark, and they were still lying on the floor. Sitting up they noticed the sun had set.

"You've been out for hours." Naru said from the couch. "What happened?"

"I was able to pull him into my astral plane, Gene sent us back from there" she said getting to her feet, Naru rose with her.

"Well, it's been a rough night; I'm going to bed Kazuya." John said slipping from the room.

Naru glanced at Mai questionably; John was not an assertive person. She only shrugged "It was a bad memory, Gene says you're next on the hit list" she said glumply.

Naru nodded and silently followed Mai from SPR, out in the hallway he stopped her. "Mai, please don't do anything like that again without telling me." He said sternly. She couldn't see him in the dark hallways but she could feel his nerves in his grip on her wrist. She smiled and touched his face.

"If I was well collected and thought everything through I wouldn't be Mai." She kissed him in the dark, it was meant to be a light kiss but Naru wasn't having it. He gently pushed her against the hallway walls and deepened the kiss. She ran her hands into his hair as he ran his tongue across her lip.

"It's been a while." Naru said traveling kisses down her neck.

"We're on a job." She reminded him smiling. "Did you even hear me at the apartment? Got to work, chase a skirt. After this job is over we'll go home." She said smiling; she was going to tease him.

"What are we going to do?" he asked still kissing her neck, slowly heading south.

"We're going to walk in to the apartment *kiss* we're going to take off our shoes *kiss* go back to the bedroom *kiss* and change the sheets" she finished smiling. She heard something like a growl in his chest.

"You're forgetting something." He said smiling, bringing his kisses back to her lips. "The ghost is targeting me, which means I can't go to sleep. This means I have nothing but time."

"You have a filthy mind Oliver." She said laughing.

"What are you talking about? I was asking for tea."

She shoved him and slapped his shoulder. "You never change."

"Well we better go together" Naru said slipping his hands into his pockets

"For safety reasons?" she teased leading him down the hallway.

"Of course Mai, I'm nothing if not professional at the work place." He said with the emotionless face she'd come to know so well over her stay at SPR.

"Is that why you keep trying to do it on your desk?" she whispered seductively into his ear, she was being a tease and she knew it.

He said nothing, just sighed exasperated. "And look what my efforts have gotten me." He muttered just low enough for himself to hear.

Mai just rolled her eyes and looped her arm though his as they entered the kitchen. With Naru sitting Mai set straight to work preparing his tea, after a moment she sat down next to him placing the tea carefully. "So do you want to talk about it?" he asked sipping his tea

"Talk about what?"

"What you experienced in your dream, the things you astral projected…."

"Naru, I'll talk about it when I'm ready." She whispered running her finger around the lip of her tea cup.

"Mai….just…..don't hold it in alright? If you can't talk about it find some way to vent."

She scoffed rolling her eyes. "Is that what you did? Vent?"

Naru sighed and put down his tea cup. "No, worst, I didn't and now I'm a narcissist." He pointed out carefully. "You don't want to end up like me"

"Oh and why not? What's so bad about you?" she said turning her cinnamon eyes onto him.

"Besides the extreme lack of not complete nonexistence of my social skills?" He mocked rolling his eyes.

"It's just difficult for you to open up Naru, it's no big deal. Some people are more open than others."

He sipped the last of his tea, deciding he was done with this conversation. "So, any theories on this spirit?" Naru asked.

"Actually, I do have one idea." Mai said after a thoughtful moment. "Maybe the spirit feeds on people's fears and worst memories because it has fears of its own, things it want to forget. So it soaks itself in other people's pain to forget why he was feeling it in the first place. What if we find out what it fears and scare him?"

Naru nodded "That's a thought, or it could just be a kind of spirit like the lemurs was. Just feeding, so old the past wouldn't matter at this point. But I'll think on it."

Mai sipped the last of her tea before rinsing out the mugs. "Well, we should…well….I was going to say get to sleep but." Her words wandered off.

"I'll stay at base with Lin Mai, you go get some rest." He said leading her out of the kitchen towards the girls room.

"Are you sure?" Mai asked pausing her hand on the door knob. "I don't mind staying up."

"No, you should get some rest." Naru insisted pushing the door open for her gently.

She kissed his cheek and dipped under his arm into the room, closing the door slowly. Naru walked straight past base, if Mai thought he was going to cower from a fight then she was dead wrong about him, even if she had asked him to. But after seeing what Mai had to relive, what in his past could possibly be as bad? Other than Gene's death of course. No, he was going to meet this beast head on. And he was going to destroy it.

It took three minutes to fall asleep after Naru found an abandoned room, it would take SPR a while to find him that would give him time until Mai jumped into his dreams.

* * *

Don't forget to review!


	26. Nothing to fear but fear itself, Part 5

I apologize for my EXTENDED absence, honestly all my Ghost Hunt-ness was just…gone…but then I had a Eureka moment and here we are! We're going to finish this mo-fo!

_Her hands, that's all Naru could think about as Mai's hands searched out every crevice of his body. He knew she was smiling, the way her lips curved into the back of his neck told him that much._

_ "__Mai" he whispered amused, trying to concentrate on his paperwork. His voice held a slight husk to it that he knew would only drive her further. _

_She giggled in a way made private for Naru. "Yes Oliver?" she asked placing her feather light kisses down his spine. Then it all went black._

When Naru woke he knew right away what had happened, he squeezed his eyes shut and searched the abyss behind his eyelids for refuge, none was found. "Mai" he choked out turning to her corpse. There was no blood, or bruising. She just looked drained; her cream skin was tainted with an unnatural shade of grey. Her lips were blue and her brown eyes were hidden behind a waxy film.

When he blinked he was surrounded by black, and a very familiar looking ghost.

"So, the great Oliver Twist has come to play?"

"Oliver Davis"

"Doesn't matter, both orphans, both dead. Well, soon enough anyway." The ghost grinned, showing his bloodied teeth like trophies.

"You wanted to play a game, well let's play." Naru growled

"What kind of game?" the spirit asked amused, sitting on a couch that appeared from nowhere.

"The kind that if I win, you leave forever. Cross over and be done with this plane."

"And if I win?"

"Then you can keep me." Naru offered. The spirit considered this and nodded.

"Fair enough, but I choose the game."

"Alright"

"You must face your fear."

"I've already done that, Mai's death."

He clicked his tongue, shaking his head. "Tsk tsk, that is not your greatest fear, look closer." And he was thrust into darkness again.

_"__NARU!" her voice pierced his ears like knives and suddenly he was bathed in her blood. _

_ "__Mai" he whispered trying to wipe his hands clean on his drenched shirt. _

_ "__Why Naru!" the voice demanded in his head. "I loved you…."_

The next few hours were spent like this, Naru watching, hearing, experiencing Mai's death. But he didn't know why. After watching it so much he figured out he needed to know HOW she died, he saw her before and he saw her dead afterwards but never how it happened. This was the key.

"Have you figured it out?" The ghost asked, using Mai's voice and face. "You're always talking about how smart you are."

"Yes, I think I have."

"Well then Sherlock, deduce for us" The ghost said with a grand gesture.

"Well, with the information I have I'd say it's how she dies that scares me the most, and it's obviously my fault. So it's something only I can do."

"Very good" the spirit said smiling. "Now, I think it's time you experienced it."

"THAT WASN'T APART OF THE GAME!" Naru cried being thrown into darkness.

"No" the voice whispered as it faded away. "It's a part of the fun."

_Suddenly Naru was on the couch that sat in his living room, black leather with a grey knitted quilt from his mother wrapped around himself and Mai who sat in his lap, leaning against his chest half asleep. _

_He ran a hand through her chestnut hair, only glancing at the TV. He was more interested In the creature before him then the ones portrayed poorly on TV, though she seemed to enjoy them. _

_ "__You're staring." She mumbled opening her heavy eyes. _

_He smirked and kissed her head. "For a complete idiot you seem to always know when I'm looking at you."_

_ "__It used to be so rare" she said smiling up at him. But as soon as her brown eyes met his they widened in disbelief, and he felt it. The raw power surging through his veins and muscles, pounding at his skull to be released, that was the answer. It was him._

"ITS ME!" he cried ripping himself from the dream. "It's my fault she died! I lose control of my powers and murder her." he whispered falling to his knees, he hadn't even realized.

"You know what the worst thing about fear is?" the spirit pondered getting nose to nose with Naru. "Fear only lives within reality."

**Now don't forget to review and tell me what you think! And again i aplogize for my absence and for how short this chapter is but i wasnt sure how long it would take me to finish it out and i wanted to satisfy the hunger. XD**


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